#BTEditorial – Make wrong things right and honour Sada

When the full list of awardees was publicly announced at the Independence Day Ceremonial Parade and National Honours Ceremony Wednesday morning an obvious name was not called. Hours after, many took to social media to express their discontent about the fact that Bajan quarter-miler star Sada Williams was not among those named.

The issue swiftly took on a life of its own. By evening, someone had created a graphic, which is making rounds, with a picture of Sada showing off a medal and the words: “The People’s Award – Sada Williams – for Outstanding Service in Track & Field.”

A number of Bajans were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the country. The honour dearest to us at Barbados TODAY was that of the youngest recipient. Frederick Smith Secondary School student Kerrisha Skeete, who turns 16 on Saturday, received the Barbados Bravery Medal for her unselfish act of bravery towards a man while preventing loss of life. Barbados TODAY broke Skeete’s story that went viral.

We offer hearty congrats to all awardees and to the producers of the spectacular event.

However, the pomp and pageantry that came with the ceremony did little to appease those who believe that Sada has been robbed of a birthday gift from her beloved country, Barbados. Her birthday is December 1.

SportMax, the major content provider of sports news in the Caribbean carried a story headlined: “2022 World Championship 400m bronze medallist Sada Williams left out of Barbados’ Independence Awards”.

It read in part: “2022 World Championship 400m bronze medallist Sada Williams was controversially left out of Barbados’ Independence Awards as the country celebrated their 56^th year of independence on Wednesday.

Barbadian journalist Mike King described the omission of Williams from the list of awardees as “shocking” and “inexcusable” in a Facebook post.

“To leave World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams out of the Independence Awards is a national scandal. Members of Cabinet should hold their heads down in shame.” [End]

We simply continue to make sport at sports in Barbados. It has been described by many as a national shame and complete disgrace that not only Sada but, Jonathan Jones and Shane Brathwaite were seemingly snubbed from the honour roll.

After Obadele Thompson won Barbados’ first Olympic medal, a bronze at the Sydney 2000 games, the island is still waiting for its next podium finish at the biggest sporting event in the world.

Nine years later, Ryan Brathwaite produced Barbados’ second medal at an international track and field event after winning gold in the men’s 110-metre hurdles with a national record of 13.14 seconds.

It must be stated that both received national honours. Thompson received The Barbados Service Star while Brathwaite got the Silver Crown of Merit.

Thirteen years after Brathwaite’s feat, Sada is now the greatest female athlete this country has ever seen after winning a bronze at the World Athletics Championships in the summer and gold at the Commonwealth Games.

Not to mention Sada became the record holder at the Commonwealth Games and was the first woman to clock sub 50 seconds in the history of the meet.

Williams clocked 49.75 seconds, a new national record time at Worlds against the best quarter milers in the world and then backed up this performance with 49.90 seconds in Birmingham. No woman in Barbados has ever done this.

Sada has elevated the country to new heights there is no reason why she shouldn’t celebrate her silver jubilee with some form of national honour.

What this 25 year-old young lady has done for athletics and the sporting industry in Barbados is absolutely incredible. She has made a legacy and inspired many athletes and little girls in this country. She is more than worthy of an Independence award and more.

Let us not forget the immense sense of pride and nationhood we all felt when our flag was raised and the National Anthem was played at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, London. The events that led to that occasion were exhilarating, to say the least.

At the time, a statement from Minister of Sport Charles Griffith said: “The Government and people of Barbados are proud of all the athletes and officials who represented our country and who demonstrated the immense talent that we have in sports.  We wish them many years of continued success and will continue to work fervently with all the national sports federations to support our current athletes, and enhance the development of sports so that we can create more milestones in the future.”

But, when compared with what some of our neighbouring countries did this year for their athletes that statement may be considered lip service.

In Trinidad, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development in Trinidad would reward Commonwealth Games medallists over TT$1 million through its 2017-2027 Reward and Incentives framework. TT$250 000 was given to each individual athlete who won gold at the Games. Silver medallists got TT$125 000 while bronze pocketed TT$62 500. In Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness conferred the Order of Jamaica on Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce.

No attempts should be made to justify the omission of Sada and by extension Jonathan and Shane, from the National Honours List.

Sada’s name should have been called. Sada should have bowed and greeted Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason. Sada should have had an honour bestowed upon her a day before her birthday and in the same year she achieved her greatest success to date.

Timing is everything. Enough lip service and long talk. It is now time to make wrong things right.