Tony Becca
JAMAICA ARE in Barbados contesting the final of the Carib Beer International Shield, Christopher Gayle is in St. Lucia participating in what the organisers have dubbed the World Double Wicket Championship, and based on the response of the fans, to the majority of Jamaicans, the big opening batsman has "dissed" them.
As far as they are concerned, by going to St. Lucia and not going to Barbados, Gayle has demonstrated a selfish streak and, as their representative, a lack of respect for them.
There are a few, however, who have no problem with Gayle's choice.
As far as they are concerned, the young man is guaranteed US$5,000 in St. Lucia and could win as much as US$32,500, even the guarantee money would be much more than his part of the spoils even if Jamaica win in Barbados, and like every Jamaican, or West Indian, he has a right to earn all he can whenever he can.
On the surface, they are right. Every man does have a right to choose and to look after his welfare. Some men, however, are obligated to others, if they are not selfish, the choice should be influenced by something called loyalty, and as important as a few more dollars may be, in this situation, Gayle should have demonstrated loyalty to those to whom he should be loyal.
Apart from colleagues in the team, Gayle, for example, should be loyal to a number of people, to Jamaica's cricket, to West Indies cricket and to the sponsors.
Like so many of the country's outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen, Gayle would not have achieved what he has without the assistance of Jamaicans in many areas, one reason for such assistance was to help in his development as a person, another reason was so that he could develop his skills as a cricketer and go on to represent Jamaica and the West Indies, and without getting into patriotism, into love for one's country, that is why he should be loyal to the people.
When it comes to Jamaica's cricket, he should be loyal because it provided him the opportunity to find a place in the sun; when it comes to West Indies cricket, he should be loyal because it is what pays him; and when it comes to the sponsors, he should be loyal because they are the ones who kept the game going so that he could have turned his talent into ability and fulfil his boyhood dream and who keep it going so that others will have the opportunity to follow his footsteps.
A few more dollars more will always be attractive to people, and without knowing what he was thinking about when he made the choice, a few dollars more might have been what encouraged Gayle to go to St. Lucia and not to Barbados.
If that was so, then as one who earns his money through West Indies cricket, as one who can be penalised by the West Indies Board and therefore, in the long run, could lose more than he got, he was short sighted - unless, like other West Indies cricketers, he believes that he is untouchable.
Even if he was untouchable before because of his skill with the bat, because of his choice, he can now be touched. In fact, if Jamaica and West Indies cricket, Jamaican fans and the sponsors are not to be taken for granted, if an attempt is to be made to stop the kind of indiscipline that is developing in Jamaica and West Indies cricket, the kind of behaviour that sees Jamaica's West Indies players wanting to do whatever they feel while talking about "freedom of expression", Gayle should pay for his choice and the Jamaica Board and the West Indies Board should instruct their selectors accordingly.
According to the organisers, Gayle did not have to go to St. Lucia, he was so advised, according to Jamaica's selectors, he was asked not to go, and by going there for a double wicket competition instead of going to Barbados to represent Jamaica in the big regional final, he has simply told everyone that he has no respect for Jamaica, for Jamaicans, and based on what the president said to him, probably for the Jamaica Board.
He has said more than that: by his action he has also said that he has no respect for West Indies cricket or for the West Indies Board, and that he has no respect for the sponsors whose money keeps the game going.
Gayle has a right to choose what he considers best for himself - no question about that.
The Jamaica Board, however, also has a right to choose, the same way a player can choose not to represent Jamaica, so can Jamaica choose not to select a player, and in a situation where a player chooses not to represent Jamaica it only stands to reason that in the interest of Jamaica's cricket, Jamaica should not select that player - certainly not for a few matches.
As far as representing Jamaica is concerned, it should be tit for tat.
The West Indies Board also has the right to choose. In fact, in a case like this, it would not and should not have that right. If the Jamaica Board does what is right, the WICB should no choice but to follow.
