Usain's Big Welcome and Mixed Feelings

On Monday September 8, 2008 the world's fastest man returned to his homeland and was greeted with a reception fit for a hero! The airport was a buzz wit anxious dignitaries, business representatives and well wishers who were ready to meet and great with the sprinter who brought glory to this nation in the Summer Olympics. This was indeed a great day in Jamaica, despite the heavy downpours of rain that sporadically drenched the city of Kingston, but that was not enough to deter the large throng of people who lined the streets just to see and even to meet and touch the sprint hero. The crowd was so large that is seems to have taken for ever for Usain Bolt to drive from the NMIA to the official reception ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus. This is only under normal circumstances a twenty minute drive. Jamaica is indeed proud and so much in love with Usain and his accomplishments of the Olympics. But something just seemed a bit troubling to me about this massive crowd that was on site to greet Usain. Why?

I totally agree with the fact that people are elated to see this great sprint star that made us proud on the international scene. I too am one of those proud Jamaicans, and very happy that a fellow Jamaican accomplished such a great feat. But I can't help the worried feeling I get when I see such a large crowd of people on the road and at the airport at that time of day, on that day of the week. This is a Monday and it was not yet five pm, which means that most places of employment were still open for business and normal working hours had not yet past. Yes I know this, because i was busy at work that said day. I find it hard to believe so many employers gave their employees time off from their busy schedules just to go welcome the sprint star! Also so many persons could not have had their day off on the same day! This could only mean one thing, there is a great number of Jamaicans who are unemployed and have absolutely nothing to do!

There is little wonder why Jamaica cannot pull itself out of this ever crumbling socioeconomic situation. There is a large part of the population that does not seem to have a stable quality job, and as such this country in not as productive as it should be in order to be economically successful. Too much human resource seems to be wasting away, which is quite evident not only from Usain's reception crowd, but by the parties and dances that are kept every single night of the week. To me this is indeed a dim prospect for our country despite the glimmer of hope that personalities such as Usain bring to the doomed island. If people are not employed to productive jobs that build their self-worth and the Jamaican economy then we will forever be in a downward spiral. I know there are a lot of underlying issues that cause this high rate of unemployment that i haven't addressed in this post, but people need fi work star!