Lawrence of Jamaica: A touch of crass

Thursday, June 23, 2011

CRICKET writer Tony Becca's book Lawrence of Jamaica: A Touch of Class might well have been titled Lawrence of Jamaica: A Touch of Crass, after the fiasco of an apology by Mr Lawrence Rowe for going to Apartheid-era South Africa to play cricket.

No one is being fooled by Mr Rowe's belated and blatantly convenient apology for the callous disregard he displayed for the majority of the people of South Africa, and indeed, the freedom-loving people of the world, when he led two rebel cricket tours of that country in the 1980s.

If it was that Mr Rowe had ignored the international sporting ban on South Africa once, we could have put it down to an error of judgement. However, after disappointing the world and disgracing Jamaica which was at the forefront of the international opposition to Apartheid by leading the first tour in

1982/83, Mr Rowe repeated his folly the following season with another illegal and shameless tour in 1983/84.

That, to us, was deliberate and suggested that he and his teammates placed more value on financial reward than in opposing a fascist regime that enforced segregation, preached white supremacy and denied black people their right to democracy.

While it is good that Mr Rowe has apologised, we are not convinced of his sincerity, given that the apology was embargoed for midday Monday, a few hours before the players pavilion at Sabina Park was named in his honour.

In fact, Mr Rowe left no doubt that his action was driven by the recognition as he brazenly told journalists after the ceremony that he felt it was time to apologise to the Jamaican people before the naming of the pavilion.

And that brings us to what we hold is a misguided decision by the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) to name this pavilion in Mr Rowe's honour. For certainly, there are other Jamaican cricketers who have contributed much more to the game locally, regionally and internationally, than Mr Rowe and who, we believe, would be more deserving of this honour.

Messrs Gerry Alexander, Jackie Hendriks, Alf Valentine, Esmond Kentish who passed recently, James Adams, Jeffrey Dujon come easily to

mind. We could, of course, submit a longer

list of names.

Mr Lynden Wright, the new JCA president, needs to say what really is at the root of this decision, for we are not convinced by his suggestion that Mr Rowe's batting prowess should overshadow his despicable actions nearly three decades ago.

We have often argued in this space that sport is more than just winning at competition. It is also about moulding human character. So despite the fact that cricketers are fierce in on-the-field competition, they generally show respect for opponents, and that characteristic is often demonstrated in how they relate to human beings on a whole.

That's why the better cricketers, those with a sense of the importance of fair play and respect for humanity, were not among those who

broke the international sporting ban against South Africa.

Mr Rowe and his rebel team spat in the face of the Jamaican people and shamed us as the first country to cut diplomatic and trading ties with South Africa, in support of the liberation struggles of Mr Nelson Mandela and 20 million oppressed South African blacks.

We suggest that if he wants to be taken seriously and show that his apology is sincere, Mr Rowe should tell the hapless JCA thanks but no thanks.

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COMMENTS (14)

Rick Berns
7/4/2011

"If you want to reach nowhere, follow the crowd" RW Emerson. You are merely following the crowd. Common wisdom is a misnomer, as their is nothing common about wisdom. What you hear commonly is generally the crowd speaking, ignorant of fact and long on opinions. The rank hypocrisy of all who condemn Yagga Rowe is stunning, but especially so for a news media wannabe. Where is your outrage for the vilification and abondonment of Winnie Mandela by these so called freedom fighters? Lemmings all!!!!

critical thinker
6/29/2011

Apartheid done, and Winnie Mandela's legacy was re-written by the British, and she is the one that went to jail after Apartheid, not any of the Caucasian killers of Steve Biko and the Sharpeville Massacre. The charge was that her guys killed a young black informant of the Apartheid regime. Crime of the century according to white politicians cum scriptwriters. The British called her "Mugger of the Nation", even Canada refused her a visa in 2007. White people united then (and now in Libya).

A Sil
6/26/2011

Ironically, many of the persons being named as more deserving, achieved their status instead of more talented and able cricketers because of West Indies cricket's own apartheid.

Clare Forrester
6/25/2011

Amen, Amen! Perhaps we can forgive him, but honour him at this time ahead of other more deserving cricketers? I think not.

James Ozermann
6/24/2011

Funny when John Dyson (a TWO TIME SOUTH AFRICAN REBEL) was offered the coaching job of the West Indies I heard not one peep from people calling for him to apologize for his actions for going to South Africa. Why shouldn't we have been as angry with him as with Rowe? We can't have it both ways, either we criticize both or we forgive both.

Winston G
6/24/2011

Wow. This is harsh.
Maybe I am an idiot, but I tend to forgive someone who finds the courage to apologize.
I pray, "and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespas against us."
Like Lawrence Rowe, I have done things that were not right.
And, please, don't tell me it's not that simple.

The Yardboy
6/23/2011

What a way the editor interested in cricket now adays, both current and historical. I guess current actions by the prime minister are of no concern to the editor. The Manatt Commission report was tabled and the editor has chosen to ignore it 100%. I guess the editor is sending a message to us.

2kool .
6/23/2011

@ wanda woeman. Leave Bruce alone. The further he's away from us the better off we are and it doesn't matter the cost. Let him stay for as long as he wants. Only problem is I feel sorry for the people in Paraguay.

Shane Williams
6/23/2011

On his cricket prowess alone Lawrence Rowe should not have been named above Jeffery Dujon, Jackie Hendrinks and Alf Valentine.
People make statements about feeding family, Jefery Dujon & Michael Holding could have taken the money and gone on the rebel tour, they opt not to, they were all facing the same conditions. Yet it is LW not Dujon one of the best wicket keeper batsmen and consummate gentleman that got snob, well done JCA.

Trevor Harris
6/23/2011

Wanda Woman I agree with you, what Rowe did at the time was ill advised and insensitive at the time but we are long past that now
Our beloved PM after all the suffering in Ja sees it fit to spend three quarter million dollars on a bird shooting expedition while people can't send their children to school.Whether it was a gift or not just the mere thought is disgusting.I did not know birdshooting was such an expensive sport.Are there no birds in Ja.Our priorities are woefully misplaced.MR EDITOR

Brooklyn Jamaican
6/23/2011

So while we castigate a man who was simply making a living, why then do we call for investment from China a country with basically no civil rights. Try moving there to set up a business and see what will happen. What about its treatment of Tibetans etc. WE went to the Beijing Olympics, didn't we? Why didn't we boycott those games. IN fact they go into African countries and so called invest and bring 80% of Chinese as workers. Lef Rowe alone yah

Brooklyn Jamaican
6/23/2011

When a society that does not read it listens to radio etc. and assume that what is being said is true, or the only truth. The fact is while apartheid was going on, the treatment of blacks in other countries was as bad as South Africa just that it was not official policy. In Cuba to this day, one cannot just up and leave. For these reasons and many more I could state its rank hypocrisy discredit Rowe simply because the SA boycott was a favourite of politicians.

wanda woeman
6/23/2011

Mr. Editor, you seem pre-occupied with LR at a time when so many other things happening in our country which are inimical to our very survival?
We think e.g. that the PM’s visit to Paraguay at a cost of $750,000 to shoot birds (funded by what many are saying is by the recipient of a man who got numerous government contracts valuing billions of dollars) is of much more concern to us than what Rowe did more than 20 years ago. Even if the PM used his own money, isn’t this very insensitive at a time when many of us can’t even find money to buy bread? What makes the Paraguayan birds so special? We need to hear from you Mr. Editor. Forget Mr. Rowe.
You won’t publish this, will you?

Jay Brown
6/23/2011

We(blacks) forgave the British/Spanish for enslaving and murdering millions of us in the slave trade.
We forgave the white leadership in South Africa after they abolished Apartheid after years of struggle.
But we should not give Lawrence Rowe , interesting very interesting perspective.

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Lawrence of Jamaica: A touch of crass