Dear Editor,

Let me take time to yell and holler deserved congratulations to the triumphant 2016 Jamaican Olympic team on its way back from Rio. Certainly the team members have done their part in advancing the welfare of the human race. Consequently we are now in patriotic ecstasy and are ready to give over the Jamaican land title to some of the immortal ones.

I want to suggest to us, though, “Hol’ yuh mule!”

I suggest that we wait until we are not so caught up in the euphoria of the moment, that we just wait to exhale, before we make any pronouncement or announcement about honours that we might regret with time.

I have read where some people are suggesting that we bestow national hero status on Usain Bolt, and I had to laugh. I am of the opinion that there are some accolades that are not to be trifled with, and this is one such category. This is a hallowed space. When one is given national hero status it should be for works done in an area or for a cause that did not just tickle the sweet spot of one’s fellow men, but should be given to a person whose body of work, or whose single selfless action led to the emancipation, amelioration, freedom, and or furtherance of the betterment of a people in a very significant social, economic, or political way.

When we critique and analyse Bolt’s life, so far, to see what he has done, we will conclude that he has done well for himself and his camp as an athlete; but that is about it quantitatively. We don’t know what tomorrow might bring with him, as he will just now start to live his life and to really understand who he is and what this platform means for his future endeavours. So therein lies the cautionary tale.

We, as responsible people, must give him time, “tan an’ see”, and allow the proverbial monkey to climb. It would be very unfortunate should he, in the normal cut-and-thrust of growing up and making stumbles in his life, have to feel restrained and constrained by the added pressure of the saddle of being perfect because of hero status, or any such over-the-top award we saddle him with.

There is a wisdom that we inherited from our forebears which was to give major honours to people only after they would be unable to spoil or mar it. But we changed and ridiculed it because we are in a hurry. I want to suggest to those who will be under relentless pressure to ‘go to town’ in this accolade-giving season to stay their hands. I want to advise them to look back at how our wise ancients did what they did, and take counsel from that before they act. Word to the wise.

Darolyn Henry-Cross

hdaro36@yahoo.com