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By: Dr. Charles Warner, 

Darren Sammy is St. Lucian and captain the West Indies twenty-twenty cricket team.  Kim Collins is of St. Kitts & Nevis – the iconic, perennial world class sprinter.

 

King Obstinate in a calypso said, “a king has no honour in his own country”.  He could early said, “A Kim………………”.   For sure Kim Collins had that experience at the hands of the passed cabal.  The past government could not accept Kim’s political persuasion; he had to be victimized.

 

Martin Luther King pleaded that a person be known by the content of his character, not by the colour of his skin.  Kim Collins could not be known and treated for the special contribution he has made to St. Kitts & Nevis, but instead be punished or victimized due to his political preference.  By the same people who today are crying victimization.

 

Darren Sammy may never be able to beat Kim Collins to the tape but certainly did so as it relates to being honoured, having the stadium bearing his name.  The stadium at Bird Rock was completed somewhere around 2009.  Despite all the calls that it be named after Kim Collins, the Douglas-led Labour party remained adamant that it be named the Silver Jubilee Stadium.  In a palliative, though disrespectful act a stand was named after Kim Collins.

 

The case in St. Lucia is interesting compared to that here in St. Kitts.  Our athletic stadium was nameless, the search out for a name.  Of course Kim’s name had to be up front.  In St. Lucia the cricket stadium already had a name ie Beausejour Stadium.  The St. Lucia government did not hesitate in removing that name, replacing it with Sammy’s.  Johnson Charles also had his honour in a stand assuming his name.

 

The Douglas politburo acted in a contrary manner.  Kim Collins was deprived of the honour he deserved, virtually made.  Kim Collins supported PAM so such an honour was too much for him.

 

A comparison of Kim and Darren should be examined.  Kim has been representing St. Kitts-Nevis since 1996, Sammy representing the West Indies team only in recent times.  Kim has been into an individual sport while Darren is a member of a team.  For most of his career it has been Kim Collins vs the rest of the world.  One man against the world.  Full respect to Mr. Sammy, but Kim’s task has been consistently more demanding than the cricket captain.

 

In the short span between the West Indies team victory and Sammy arriving back in his homeland the St. Lucia government honoured its citizens.  It took from 2009 to 2015 for Kim’s name to be elevated to the level it belongs.  Thanks to the Team Unity government.  To use terms used in athletics, Sammy has a better time than Kim Collins.  What took some six years for Kim came in less than two (2) weeks for Darren Sammy.

 

Instead of honouring Kim Collins, a plan for his persecution and a plan for his arrest were hatched.  In some ways he was pursued and persecuted like El Lute of Old Spain.  As a result Kim practically had to go into exile.   Imagine Kim not accepted and honoured in his own country.  But the bible has to be fulfilled.  I came to my own and my own rejected me.

 

The Government and People of St. Lucia in their response have to be compared with Kim’s experience in his homeland.  In St. Lucia there was a parade and ceremony culminating in the honouring of Charles and Sammy.  They honoured and accepted their own.

 

Thanks and appreciation must go to the Team Unity administration.  On Kim’s birthday in 2015 he was brought home and the stadium named after him in an impressive ceremony.  What was festering for over 5 years was brought to an end.   An injustice was avulsed and honour restored.  Darren Sammy got his due in about two (2) weeks, much quicker than Kim Collins.

 

Based on the rate at which honour was given to Sammy compared to Kim, the uninformed person will probably believe Sammy is the sprinter, not Kim Collins.

 

The Douglas Labour cabel likes to cry victimization.  Then what did they do to Kim Collins.  The St. Lucia authorities clearly showed how a hero is to be treated.  A profound question has to be asked:  based on   Kim’s experience is this the way we are going to treat our heroes.  Be they for government or the opposition they are to be treated fairly and with respect.  Had there be no change of government and Douglasism remained entrenched – via fraud – Kim’s name would have not crowned the Bird Rock stadium.  Today our people would have been seeing the honour paid to Sammy while Kim would have gone without the appropriate recognition.  There is talk that a certain person’s statue would have already been in the centre of the new Frigate bay round-a-bout.  That person too would have beaten Kim Collins.  Thank God it was not to be.

 

Today Kim is still running, still winning.  This is a profound testament to his ability and contribution to St. Kitts & Nevis.  Certainly, Kim is of the Right Stuff – The Real Mc Coy!