Sports complex named after Usain Bolt in Barbados Sparks Outrage
According to Irie FM, the principal of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, has defended a decision to name the new sports complex at the university in Barbados after Jamaican Olympic and world sprint champion Usain Bolt.
Eyebrows have been raised in some circles that the complex will not be named after Barbadian athletes such as Olympic bronze medallist Obadale Thompson, fellow Olympian Jim Wedderburn or other distinguished ‘Bajan’ sports personalities.
Bolt who has a stadium named after him at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus in Jamaica, and who holds three world records did not immediately comment on this latest development.
Sir Hilary backed the designation of the new Usain Bolt Sports complex and stressed the decision was not one designed to marginalize any Barbadian sports person, he said it was indeed a move that celebrated all west Indians.
He was adamant that a debate over “Barbadian, Jamaican or Trinidadian” should not enter the equation since the university was a West Indies facility and not solely Barbadian.
Source: Irie FM
Guess they should change the name of the college to …University of Barbados..lol just goes to show the resentment for Jamaican accomplishments and our Great little island throughout the entire Caribbean …poor thing dem..petty n jealous ..cant blame them tho..lots to be envious about !!!!
This is just sad…its not a barbados thing is it its a caribbean thing…but all the questions have now been answered most other caribbean islands do not take to us jamaicans one bit…
Oh how I wish our government would start showing example as to the respect concerning us Jamaicans…. I am sure everyone else would follow, #fixupayaadfus
Since UWI is a regional institution,this naming after the no.1 athlete that the Caribbean has ever produced should be celebrated and not greeted with outrage.Were it named after Jim Wedderburn,whose accomplishments I am well aware of,few persons outside of Barbados of out of the Lodger School(1960’s era) would recognize the name.As for Obadale Thompson,few persons outside of Barbados would recognize the name or be aware of the fact that he won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics.I had to look this up myself.No one has the research the name “Usain Bolt”.It speaks for itself.
It would be an honour to do so, but!!!.. i think it would cause anomosity among the athletes. I dont mean to be negative,Usain is more than deserving.but im sure there is athletes in barbados who have earn the title. we have enough problem of our own to start a fire storm on our hero Usain Bolt.
Regionalism is the farthest thing from the minds of some Bajans, SMH!!! The foundation of the UWI campus is about integration, don’t they get it?
Those small island folks should be lucky to have a piece of us there
As a Jamaican living in a so called small island I am not pleased with the negative comments about the mentality of Jamaicans nor the mentality of ‘small island folk’. This has to stop. There is a diversity among the various small islands that many of us Jamaicans have yet to be exposed to let alone appreciate.
The question becomes; in an alternate universe, how would Jamaican’s feel is a complex on the UWI campus in Jamaica was named ‘The Ato Bolden Stadium’?
All due respect to Usain, but the Bajans do have a point. I wouldn’t like it either.
Richie, atUWI Mona there is a complex named for “SIR FRANK WORRELL”!!
Its a well known fact that Barbadian thinks that their are superior to Jamaican.. I am fed-up to the back teeth with it.. I remember a Barbadian teacher in school who told me as a student that you can drive from Barbados to Trinidad at a tender age of 10.. Now tell y would some one do that to a child.. I will never forgive him for that.. They clearly have a complex and should realize that the British mentality of divide and conquer needs to be stopped.. its UWI and they can produce world champions to ..so go ahead… Read more »
I dont wrong them. Its a snub to the locals. Any way I do think Jamaicans would reacted the say way. Sounds like a chain to me. one in Jamaica one in Barbados and where the next one will be lol