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| Larry Romany, left, the TTOC president and Brian Lewis the organization’s secretary general. |
There are about ten television stations available to the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) to air their views in T&T.
The channels include 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14 ,15 (on cable). There are three daily newspapers that are widely read. There are about thirty radio stations. Channel 14 is WI Sports, a station dedicated to local sports. It is available to TTOC President Larry Romany, more so because Brian Lewis Honorary Secretary of the TTOC is a host on this station. What then is the conspiracy of silence? It was a pleasant surprise to see a two-page special in the T&T Guardian—on May 25, 2012, pages A49 and 50—engaging the Olympics, its history, motto, creed, rings and oath. This was interesting especially in an Olympic year. One can view a programme on ESPN called Great Moments of the Olympic Games. It features legendary Olympians. The likes of Herb Mckenley, Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, Arthur Wint, and other great performers.
What has the TTOC done this year to promote our participation in the Olympics .How can this generation Google and text our glorious past at the Olympic Games? It is now time for the TTOC to exercise damage control! Come on! Give us something about: Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Wendell Mottley, Edwin Roberts, Hasely Crawford, Ato Boldon, Richard Thompson, George Bovell III and others. Wet our appetite! Stimulate our enthusiasm! Just give us something! Better yet, evoke the spirit of “Olympism.” Why can’t we see a banner? A billboard? The Olympic Rings? Why can’t we hear from the Olympic Committee? Brian Lewis Honorary secretary and Larry Romany President of the TTOC should help us understand the reason for their nonchalant attitude. Our athletes have succeeded where everyone else has failed them. They have brought home gold, silver and bronze from the Olympic mines across the globe. There are many miners but few collect minerals. Yet we fail to celebrate, to motivate, to inform the public about “Team TTO’s” mission. They fail to support our gallant men and women as they prepare for another mission abroad.
The TTOC is ashamed to do their part. However, they lay in wait to reap the benefits of “TEAM TTO’s” achievements; they enjoy the trip providers’ sustained ability to provide opportunity for them to travel. The TTOC’s incompetence is filled with the venom of arrogance. On the other hand, The Jamaicans are leaders, masters of their craft, directors of their destiny with loyalty to country, promoters of their art form in every aspect of national pride and freedom of speech. Justice Patrick Robinson speaks of his country saying: “The government sensitive to the lessons of the past and a wider society from Beijing Olympics organised Celebrations Island wide over a period of four days.” The TTOC has failed this country. There are members of this organisation who know of the ills, they speak on it off the records yet they decide to go along with the flow. They are mute. They have lost the art of communication . What is communication or to communicate? It can be defined as a process through which an idea, information, feelings or emotion is passed on, shared, exchanged or transferred from one point to the other. Without communication there can never be a proper way. That which is hidden or covered.
Secrets of the TTOC
• Status of the Trinidad and Tobago identifier for international sports: The new identifier will be TTO. This identifier was established some years ago by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and will be approved after the 2012 London Olympics. The process to have the country code change will be resolved shortly. The ISO 3166 has had TTO # 780 as the three letter alpha for T&T for years and no one is sure why or when TRI became the country code for international sports.Tobago’s Inclusiveness is questionable!
• Coaching T&T youths: There is a youth programme focused on developing our youths in sports. It is funded annually by several private sector organisations. What qualifies the athletes, and who are the companies involved are unknown. “The local Olympic body respects the privacy of athletes.” Call the TTOC. # 625-1285
• Quality of coaching: Continuous sports management courses are held at the TTOC main office in Port-of-Spain at $300 a pop. Yet, sporting bodies have internal challenges: political infighting, poor professionalism, poor communication practices, low attendance and production rates.
• IAAF “B” Standard Scholarship project available: It enables athletes who have the potential but lack the appropriate athletic environment to develop. The IAAF will provide the necessary support not available in T&T. Achieve the “B” standard. The IAAF will give scholarship preference to the under-23 age category.
• “Team TTO” 2012 uniforms will be unveiled in London prior to to the opening ceremonies.
• The TTOC is not going to have a press officer to interview the Olympic team while in London: They will rely on the local journalists. Although The media plays an important role in the lifeline for the nation, The TTOC’s strategic plan; “ is not something we would make known to the public because we don’t like the media involved in athletes personal affairs.” TRI or TTO 2013? Questionable!
• The IOC partners, with rights in our jurisdiction: Coca Cola, Ethos, Dow, Omega, Samsung mobile phones, Panasonic, Acer, McDonald’s, Visa, General Electric, Procter and Gamble.
• The TTOC partners are: Guardian Holdings, Lisa Communications, bpTT, Scotiabank, Caribbean Air, Adidas and Bmobile.
Abort the conspiracy of silence!
