‘The future has several names. For the weak, it is impossible; for the fainthearted, it is unknown; but for the valiant, it is ideal’…French Poet, Victor Hugo
Valiant, courageous, inspiring and the list of adjectives can go on ad infinitum. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find the superlatives to describe the character and the performances of Kirani James.
Maybe it’s time to go beyond searching for the right words and ensure the right things are done.
The burning question now is how a Country gives back to someone who has and continues to meet and exceed the expectations of everyone from the casual fan to the expert analyst.
Kirani’s third Olympic medal – a historic and groundbreaking global achievement – warrants a meeting of the minds to secure for the young man the acknowledgement, recognition and compensation associated with his achievements.
The Kirani James Athletics Stadium is already in place and rightfully so, the Kirani James Boulevard needs to be revisited. When these acknowledgements are done they must be done for the right reasons and must be easily recognizable by even the most casual observer. Lack of signage and the fact that the former Lagoon Road does not fit the description of a boulevard begs the question – what was the intent then and can we use the occasion to fix what amounts to a disservice to the name of Kirani?
Kirani’s third Olympic medal provides the opportunity for recognition in his home Parish of St. John. Would it be possible for a study to be done to determine who and what role the Depradines played in the history of Gouyave before giving full consideration to renaming the main thoroughfare in Gouyave after Kirani?
Would it be too much to ask to have the Parish of St. John renamed after Kirani – St. James has a certain ring to it. And when one considers the class, grace and humility of the young man, Sainthood might be the ultimate accolade.
To paraphrase Victor Hugo, the future is ideal for the valiant and Kirani has more than exemplified those sentiments. Challenged over the past two years or so he did not give up or feel sorry for himself and he obviously was not fearful of the future. And he now gives Grenada another opportunity to secure our collective futures by embracing him and all that his stands for, by creating a legacy that will inspire young Grenadians from all walks of life to excel in whatever their choice or calling of vocation might be.
The following is a suggested list of immediate considerations – let us strike while the Bronze is still hot:
- The renaming of a school after Kirani
- The renaming of the Intercol to the Kirani James Secondary School Meet.
- The establishment of a foundation in Kirani’s name to secure training, facilities and support for elite and promising local Athletes.
- Contracting of Kirani by the Grenada Tourism Authority to a life-time ambassadorial post
- Declaration of September 01st Kirani James Day and a NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
Grenada continues to excel internationally in sports and other areas. The Olympics were another example of the true spirit and grit embodied in the Grenadian Nationality. Lindon Victor must be recognized for his accomplishments in Tokyo and he too must receive his full accolades consummate with his herculean efforts.
To the rest of the Team hearty congrats you now belong to a very select group of citizens – Olympians!
Dexter Mitchell
