Letter of the Day | Lessons from World Cup ceremony
Published:Wednesday | July 18, 2018 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
The recently concluded World Cup in Russia provided a few lessons from which all Jamaicans can learn. During the presentation ceremony after the final game, there was a heavy downpour of showers. Despite this, the presentation went on like clockwork, as if the rain did not matter. The presidents of Russia, France and Croatia, along with other officials and dignitaries, remained in place, presented medals and trophies while being soaked with rain until umbrellas were brought to them.
Could this have happened in Jamaica? How many times has the threat of rain or even a drizzle caused major panic and postponement of important events and appointments? In our culture when it rains here, we want to sleep, start dreaming of soup, stay home and many appointments get cancelled or delayed.
It is not quite so in other parts of the world noted for high level s of productivity. A few years ago I was in Canada and in the company of a Canadian woman and her one-year-old child. We went for a walk in the neighbourhood, when it began to rain heavily. I panicked and asked her to stop and get shelter for us and the baby. She calmly said ,'It's only water' and continued in the rain until we reached home, after which she simply dressed the baby in dry clothes.
As a people, we need to realise that rain is simply water and get on with whatever task that is set before us. This has to be tempered with common sense, of course. But if we are going to be more productive as a people, we need to put aside cultural habits and practices and adopt new ones in keeping with the new times and to our benefit.
Duane Harris