Laramania grabs the city

Amidst the showers of confetti and the Laramania which reigned at the Brian Lara Promenade yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced that Government would honour cricket icon Brian Lara in the establishment of the following:

a) Government would build the Brian Lara Multi-Purpose Caribbean Sporting Academy for the teaching of sport, which would comprise the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium and Training Facility (to be constructed by 2006), a cycle track of Olympic standard, an Olympic swimming pool on a 52 acre site at Union Park, and a teaching facility at Petrotrin.

b) Government would institute the Brian Lara Foundation for the advancement of cricket. It would have a start-up capital of $10 million from the Government.

c) Government would also erect a first class cricket facility at Bacolet, Tobago.

d) Government  would create a  Heroes’ Park with an indoor facility where people would be able to trace the development of national heroes.

e) Government would award an additional 180 scholarships for CXC (O’level) results specifically to underprivileged students.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister stated that discussions between himself and Lara would continue to see “in what way we can make provisions for Brian Lara,” after he has retired from professional cricket “when the tendency in this country is that you are forgotten by everybody.” But amid the adoration for Lara which flowed from all corners, Government was sensitive to the fact that Trinidad and Tobago was privileged to have another star in the making in the person of swimmer George Bovell III.

Manning announced that in addition to the $250,000 Bovell has already received to assist him in preparing for the Olympics, Government would make available to him an additional $300,000 for his “personal development” and to “prepare him for his sporting career.” Government, he said,  will also build an Olympic size swimming pool next to the National Stadium as well as another in Tobago in honour of his recent achievement for setting a new record. Manning, who described Lara as the “boss of all bosses,” stated that not many people got a chance to do it twice.

“Some people say if it nice, you do it twice,” he shouted, as one woman added: “Under the PNM!” And in obvious reference to his own experience as a politician — of becoming Prime Minister again, after the loss of office in 1995 — Manning said: “I could say to Brian I understand how you feel.” Faith in God was the source of success, Manning stressed, as he waxed spiritual. “We can both tell you how you do that (twice) again. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,” he said, quoting the 23rd Psalm.

Manning said the Brian Lara Foundation would be run by a Board of Trustees who would be required to run the Fund on the interest, leaving the capital investment intact. The Fund would accept contributions from the private sector and citizens, he said. Manning stated that once space permitted it, the Brian Lara Caribbean Multi-purpose Sports Academy would also have facilities for hockey, basketball, volleyball and lawn tennis. He said the Academy would have two locations — the Union Park and the teaching facility at Petrotrin in Point-a-Pierre.