CPL 2017 UPDATE BY Dev Govindjee

TUESDAY 15 AUGUST 2017

It has been a long time since I sat down to write an update- so much has happened and so many countries visited over the past 12 months that I fear I shall not be able to do justice if I attempt to recall them all- safe to say that recently I have visited Qatar, Hong Kong, Nepal, Uganda, Kenya, The Netherlands & Jersey since December 2016 and now am in the Caribbean doing my 3rd CPL (Caribbean Premier League) tournament.

My schedule of travel has thus been totally frenetic and these appointments do not always come well in advance –so there has been a terribly stressful period of getting Schengen Visas and USA & UK Visas all sorted out in time for me to get to the various destinations –thankfully these hurdles have been negotiated and I now find myself sitting on the balcony of the lovely Royal St Lucia Resort on another glorious Caribbean morning with time on my hands- time enough to realize that many have requested updates and many others have indicated that they have missed hearing from me- for the others- well just read and enjoy or send me a short note indicating otherwise and I shall refrain from taking up your time.

My 2017 CPL schedule excited me as I have on my previous two visits to the West Indies missed out on getting matches in St Lucia- this time it was included- firstly though I had to complete a European U19 Tournament in Jersey ( first visit there) in the Channel Islands ( more about that later) and thankfully completed matches there on the 1 August allowing me to fly directly to London & Miami to be in time in Fort Lauderdale for the start of my CPL matches on 5 August. Had a hectic double header of matches there on the Sat & Sun and on Monday 7th it was a chartered flight out of Fort Lauderdale for 4 teams and match officials directly to St Lucia.There were long delays due to overloading of luggage ( cricket kit) so finally 4 hours later we departed and it meant getting to the hotel ( an 90 min drive) only around 8 pm – in time to spend a bit of my birthday out having supper with the umpires.

The island/country of St Lucia is absolutely beautiful- fantastic resort where we are staying so a walk directly onto the beach - idyllic conditions for doing whatever you feel like- a short walk into Rodney Bay where there are enough pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and shops for the satisfaction of the many tourists who come to enjoy what is on offer.A few days ago we arranged to travel around some parts of the Island and visited the iconic Pitons ( two cone-shaped mountains) as well as visiting the Sulphur Springs nearby and having a delightful Mud Bath.

With the CPL matches here all scheduled to start either at 5,6 or 8 pm, it does leave many hours free to get to enjoy new places- also got to Castries which is the main harbor town where passenger liners dock fairly regularly bringing the many tourists who enjoy being in the Caribbean.

This update was started on Sunday and it is now Tuesday- Our 4th and final match here at the Daren Sammy Stadium is at 6pm and then we prepare to leave St Lucia for an equally beautiful island called St Kitts & Nevis.

Last night a local passionate cricket-loving family invited the match officials to their home- a beautiful evening spent with them and some friends they had invited and to listen to so much of what life is like on these Caribbean islands –their love and following of cricket down to their knowledge of even the match officials was astounding and we were made ot feel really special by them all- hoping that one of their daughters plays for the West Indies one day.

Sunday 20 August

Yes- it is clear that the days are going by quickly and this update needs to be sent out before it is time to return home- so, from beautiful St Kitts on this reast day let me briefly update- have had a few matches here- my third visit to this magnificent island where the Port Zante region in the downtown Basseterre comes alive when the regular ocean liners dock-a few days ago two docked at the same time so it was a good time to be there and once again experience the buzz tha this brings with it- tourism is what the island survives on and the shops do a good trade- I have made some good friends in many places and here I have friends who own a jewellery store and my weakness for watches is well know to them and yes, I have bought another one!

I also have a couple who take me around to see new places so this afternoon they shall once again do that.

Some CPL matches start at 9pm for maximum TV exposure in the sub-continent- that does mean that if there are any rain interruptions then the extra time allowed pushes the cessation times way beyond midnight! Really should not complain as we do have free days and also match days are free until we leave for the venues.

From St Kitts the next stop on Thursday will be Barbados- looking forward to my 2nd visit to Bajan territory and from there it is play-offs and finals this year in Trinidad.

Until the next update

Always

Just

deV

Letter from a prisoner - One visit, one look, one life changing decision

21 May 2017

10 years ago, I spent a few months in prison before being granted bail pending the outcome of an appeal. For the first weekend back in the "real" world, my family and friends decided upon a trip to the "real" Sun City (the prison I was in for those few months is nicknamed sun city due to the corruption and ability to have almost anything in there).

There are many reasons why I will always remember that particular trip but there is one  that truly stands out, for the wrong reasons. On the way to Sun City, I was a passenger in my friends stunning Porche cabriolet. As he was too busy thrashing the car about every corner, he did not have the opportunity to light a cigarette. Jokingly, he asked me to light one for him. 

I had always been fairly health conscious and had never thought of being a smoker, as I found the act itself rather repulsive. I had also witnessed an uncle suffer from lymphoma, a time that was especially trying for me. I had as a young teen tried smoking on a couple of occasions, but it did nothing for me. Even if it was the greatest feeling in the world, I would have never smoked because both my dad and mom despised it. 

So when my friend asked me to light a cigarette for him, I cannot to this day rationalise why I said yes. What I do know though is that when he turned to me minutes later, the cigarette was finished. I had smoked my first whole cigarette. The scary part was that I enjoyed it. 

From that day on, I was a smoker. Most people could not believe it when they saw me smoking; but unfortunately I was hooked. Those few moments of pleasure whilst smoking became something to look forward to. Soon, I was smoking a pack a day. At times, even more. Many around me tried to discourage my newly formed habit but not even bouts of bronchitis could prevent me from lighting up. 

When I came back to prison, I changed a lot as a person. My faith is what changed the most. Smoking however presented a contradiction of sorts. No matter which way one looks at it, smoking can never be condoned by faith. It is a dirty habit that is simply a poisoning of oneself. I knew this. I knew this for years and I kept consoling myself and those who care for me that I would quit, but only on the day I walked out of prison. I guess for those who love me, it was some solace for them knowing that I had intentions to quit but due to circumstances they would not push me to stop something that seemingly helped me get through my ordeal. 

Would you be pleased with yourself knowing that you made someone who cared for you cry? I won't be pleased. It has always been the worst thing that I could do, to physically reduce someone to tears. As a teenager, I once made my mom cry; I vowed that day to never let that happen again, and I can proudly say I was never the cause of her tears again. The look in her eyes that day tore through me, I did not want to ever see that again. My dad wasn't one to cry but a look of disappointment was more than enough for him to render me speechless. 

Recently, a long lost friend visited me. Visiting someone in prison that you care for is really tough. She mustered the courage to do that though. During our conversation, the topic of smoking came up and I could instantly notice a change in her demeanour. She looked down into her hands and when she looked up again, I could see in her eyes that same look of disappointment that I had tried so hard to never see in my parents eyes. 

That look, was enough for me. That is what it took for me to there and then decide that enough was enough. I would not smoke again. Almost ten years of smoking, countless conversations with my loved ones, many lectures, booklets, articles, scary videos about the consequences of smoking and even the stark warnings on the cigarette boxes themselves that smoking kills; would prove to be futile. But one look. That one look was all it took. 

I have been clean for a few weeks now and with Ramadhaan fast approaching I have no doubt that I have it in me to not smoke again. One trip with a friend 10 years ago started my worst habit and one visit by a friend 10 years later ended that habit. 

The power of our minds are incredible. For such a long time I could not give up something but a mere glance from a friend proved to be the catalyst that I needed. In a world where we are all preoccupied with the bigger things in life, it is only natural that we tend to overlook the little things and especially the little things that those who care for us do. Take a moment, reflect and be ever so grateful for everyone in your life who cares for you; they are your greatest assets. And never underestimate the value they bring to your life, nor what they do for you; for one simple look changed my life for the better! 

PS: The writer of this article has quit smoking totally. He never ever lit another cigarette after meeting his best friend forever after a lengthy period of time

From Wow to Super Wow

I am pleased, humbled and honoured to receive this prestigious award .I have always admired the efforts of the Women of Wonder campaign and that makes this award all the more special. 

I would like to firstly thank my Creator for blessing me in abundance. 

My heartfelt thanks to the hosts, sponsors, organizers and attendees of this prestigious event. I wish you further success and that this event grows from strength to strength. 

Thanks to my late grandparents, who through their example; defined what hard work, dedication and selflessness meant.  Their lessons have been and will always be a source of inspiration. 

Thank you to the rest of my family for supporting me and helping me through this journey called life. Thank you to my staff for their hard work, perseverance, dedication and outstanding character displayed towards all our patients. Without them, Medix pharmacy will be non-existent. 

Lastly and most importantly; I would not be standing where I am if it were not for the unwavering and infinite support of my amazing parents. I have never taken compliments to heart, because all of them actually belong to you both. You sacrificed your own happiness, just so that I could be happy and live my dreams. I hope to always make you smile, thank you.

As we celebrate and recognize the success of women, let us also reflect on what defines success. I will leave you with beautiful words on success that resonates within me, by Ralph Waldo Emerson: 

What is success?

To laugh often and much,

to win the respect of elders and the affection of children, 

to leave the world a better place,

to know even one life has breathed easier because of you,

this is to have succeeded. 

Whilst the event was superbly organised in terms of decor, food and entertainment, in all fairness I also need to be critical of a few underlying flaws that I noticed. I trust and hope that the organizers of the event will take note of the constructive criticism as there is always room for improvement in any business or organization. I am a person who always speaks my mind and my heart. I am always true to myself. I do not mean to offend anyone. Please forgive me if I have.

Firstly, I was quite aghast at the fact that the guest speaker was a recipient of the award last year. This year she received the award once again. In fact there were a few women who received the award last year and then again this year. My heartiest congratulations goes out to all of them. They are truly an inspiration to many. However, with the Interpol ambassador clarifying that this country officially has more women than men are we then saying that there just aren’t enough women out there who are capable of receiving this prestigious award and hence the award needs to be awarded to the same recipient year after year.  From my past experiences I have found that the sponsors of an event receive gifts and bouquets of appreciation but never an award.

What criterion did the organizers utilize in order to nominate an individual for the award? Most of the women who received an award were professional women who have excelled in their field. Yes, no doubt they do deserve recognition. And I compliment the Panache team for making every recipient feel special.  Many of the recipients are from influential homes and are affluent in a personal capacity. But what about those women in our community who are not educated or from affluent homes yet they do their bit for humanity in their own personal capacity. They are the unsung heroines of our neighbourhoods and communities. In the past I have met a few women who utilize their monthly income to sustain orphans in their community. Many of these kids were given away at birth or abandoned as kids due to the fact that their parents are addicted to drugs.  These selfless women within our communities who are struggling themselves to make ends meet yet choose to assist others, they need to be recognized and saluted for their efforts as well. Last year I met an elderly Zulu woman who feeds kids in a squatter camp. She suffers from a few ailments and commutes great distances to work and home. These are the kind of women that we need to acknowledge as well. These are the kind of women we need to find within our neighbourhoods. We need to appreciate them and salute them for their unselfish acts of kindness. When I see the heart they have for others, it makes me unworthy of the award that I received on Saturday night.  In my humble opinion, I think for next year’s event every community should nominate a candidate from their suburb. This should be done on a national level.  It should be an award for women, by women supported by the people of SA.  South Africa is made up of a diaspora of cultures . Correct me if I’m wrong, but I do not think that each race group was adequately represented at Saturday night’s function. The majority of the awards went to Indian South African women. Let us create an event that represents the rainbow nation.  In so doing, we will recognize and salute women from all walks of life irrespective of race, colour, creed,social status, educational or family background. This is how we ultimately build a nation. This award function then becomes a super wow event by acknowledging even ordinary women. I would like to take the opportunity in complimenting Mr Abdul Rahim Rasool for singing some of my favourite songs so beautifully. Just a pity the audience were a tad bit stiff to cheer him along. Well done Mr. Rasool. Hope to see more of you at future events.  A big shout out to the dancers who performed at the magical event with absolute grace and finesse.  I  thoroughly enjoyed the semi classical piece that was performed by the male dancer. Every move was executed with sheer precision. And last but not least I was blown away by the strength and resilience portrayed by the female karate artists. They have proven yet again that whilst a woman may be perceived as being weak or fragile, she not only possesses inner strength but outer strength as well. The women who performed at Saturday night’s event were all petite and elegant but wow, absolute power houses.  After all, dynamite does come in small packages. Never ever underestimate the strength of a woman. Thank you Panache once again for a well put together fun filled evening. All the best in your future endeavours!

The choice is yours

Life is becoming increasingly tough for many people out there. I see this everyday as I try to empathize with my patients. More and more young individuals are on antidepressants and mood stabilizers due to difficulties they experiencing within their lives.Financial strain coupled with domestic violence provokes a person to become suicidal. Yesterday I heard the story of a young woman who tried taking her life by overdosing on pain killers as her husband wants to divorce her. At 24 she is a mother of two kids. Whilst she is a loving mom and devoted wife, her husband is simply bored in their relationship and has opted to enjoy a string of affairs. As she is also financially dependent on her husband the thought of getting divorced made her react irrationally and she opted to try committing suicide....

My heart bleeds for a lovely woman I know. Her husband had a thriving business but now that he was diagnosed with a neurological disease and is unable to work any more, their business has literally collapsed. She was a woman of leisure dependent on her husband but now she is forced to step into a business and try managing it without being equipped with the necessary skills or expertise. Her luxury lifestyle is no more and she finds it difficult to accept. There are many people out there who are orthodox and radical when it comes to issues pertaining to women. Many believe that a woman's place is in her home, cooking, cleaning and ironing. What happens to this woman and her kids when the breadwinner of the home is no more or he is unable to work any more. Many will say " Don't worry. God will provide". God will provide yes, if you make the effort. A woman should be self sufficient. You need to develop your own skills so that the ship does not sink..As a woman you need to set your own goals in life and set out to achieve them. In accomplishing your own goals you bring purpose and fulfillment in your own life apart from being a wife or mother.I have come across situations whereby a mother and her kids were left destitute and homeless once the husband passed on. There are women out there who don't know how to do simple banking like depositing money or withdrawing money from an ATM.With the economic situation hitting new lows in this country more and more people out there will struggle to lead a comfortable lifestyle. Marriage is a partnership between two people. In the same way that a woman expects her other half to be more domesticated,a woman should also earn a living to ease her partners burden and responsibility of running a home. Alas, marriage is like the wings on an aeroplane. Both wings need to function 100 percent in order to provide a smooth flight to the passenger's on board...Hence, you can choose to fly on a plane that is rocked by turbulence or you can choose to be on a smooth steady flight. The choice is yours!!

Letter from a prisoner - Stripping down the facts

eNCA

I understand that social media is abuzz and tempers are flaring due to the events that happened at Sun City (Johannesburg Correctional Center B) on youth day coming to light. Naturally, the overwhelming response is one of disgust but how do prisoners themselves view this incident? 

A warden showed me the pictures last week and even as an inmate myself, I was shocked. I did not think that something so public and brazen would happen in that way. Fellow inmates reacted in a similar way. 

Like the rest of the country, prisons in the country are absolutely corrupt from top to bottom. I see corruption happening before my eyes almost every single day. Generally what happens in prison, stays in prison. The public gets exposed to only but a handful of isolated incidents. Preferential treatment of Oscar Pistorius and the pre-release party of the Waterkloof 4 are 2 such incidents which also garnered much attention for the wrong reasons. 

Almost every prison has a Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture committee (SRAC). Committees consist of a chairman, a warden, and inmates. The primary objective of such committees is to encourage responsible behavior through activities initiated within the prisons. As with any activity, it costs money even in prison. SRAC committees get a yearly budget which does come from your tax money but most of the money is raised through the prison itself or is raised through sponsorship. Every prison has a kiosk which sells snacks at visits and a shop selling basic groceries within the prison, directly to inmates through their own prison accounts. A portion of the profit is channeled back to inmates through SRAC activities. Soccer tournaments, gym equipment, pool tables, board games and televisions are some of the regular activities paid for by SRAC committees. 

Events such as the now infamous Youth Day celebration are also arranged through SRAC. For these functions, inmates arrange sponsors to donate whatever may be required and also approach celebrities to either entertain or give motivational talks. Events take months of planning and even then, most end up being a disaster. Before any event can go ahead, approval must be obtained from various offices, including security and the head of prison. For this particular event, all necessary permission was obtained. The dancers were approved. 

In the world we live in today, music and dance is an integral part of the lives of youth. Nobody really complains at the lewd lyrics or provocative music videos that even school children cannot get enough of. I am certain that many who are irate at the events making headlines have children or they themselves enjoy music or music videos which are absolutely immoral. To me, some music videos are nothing but soft core pornography. 

If the world is enjoying this type of entertainment then why is it such an issue for prisoners to enjoy it? Why not object to prisoners playing soccer, watching television or reading magazines in which so much more is seen? Why not become mad that prisoners in this country have cellular phones? Why not get irate that some prisoners are able to have sex even in prison? In many places in the world, prisoners are allowed conjugal visits, is it such a big issue then to have dancers in a prison? 

As a prisoner myself, I know all to well about escapism. Every prisoner finds his own way of escaping his reality. Some get lost in a book, studies, religion, gym, drugs and others in music and dance. Should all these avenues be blocked? 

At the Center I find myself at, there are also a few events a year. At almost every event, time is afforded for traditional Zulu dancing. The women who participate are not clothed any more than those in the pictures circulating social media. They wear a tiny skirt that shows their panties when they dance and their bosoms are covered by what is nothing more than a bra. Such events are attended by senior management and famous members of the public. I have never heard of any complaint regarding the dress of women during such dances. So why the double standards? Why is it acceptable in the form of traditional dance but not in the form of another genre? 

Yes, prison is meant to be punishment. And trust me, it is punishment. Prison houses the absolute worst of society, but one day, the same men in here will be standing next to you in a queue, be serving you, be your client or even be related to you. That is the reality of the justice system. Everyone, no matter how grave the crime. is entitled to freedom at some stage or other. By depriving a man of everything, are we going to make them better or worse individuals who will enter society? 

Personally, I am upset at the events that occurred. I am not surprised by provocative dancing as that is a part of contemporary society. I am upset that whilst some inmates were getting a show, I am having to fight the same authorities to enable me to continue with my university studies. I am upset that while some can get it right to have exotic dancers, I am unable to have basic religious rights, as allowed by policy. I am upset that some can get entertainment but others who do not belong in prison do not have a voice. I am upset that some die in prison because they do not get the attention that strippers get.

In a country loosing the battle against crime, strippers in prison may be taking things too far and I doubt that anything remotely like it will occur again. This incident should not be what scares the public, rather it should sensitize them to the deeper, underlying issues with the system as a whole. It is easy to get angry and even demoralized by the system, and the country as a whole; but the system and the country will only change if we stop being reactive but rather be proactive. 

Please forgive me

www.lovethispic.com So this is something I've always wanted to write about but just didn't get down to  doing it. Why is it that when a big night or an auspicious time of the year approaches that people find it necessary to bombard your phone with forgive me messages. Nowadays a new trend has also emerged with regards to people going for hajj and umra. One impersonal broadcast message is sent to all contacts asking for  forgiveness. Whilst residing in the Kingdom I use to love spending time with "Baba" in the desert riding camels. This morning being a Friday I thought about him. After  Friday prayers, Baba would pick me up and off we went into the desert where we met up with other members of his family.May Allah grant him jannah. He was super wealthy due to the large herd of camels that he owned, yet he worked as a driver in the hospital to learn English from the expat staff. The Bedouins I met were simple and kind. They  resided in their own simplistic world. Baba use to always say, "Lead your life in such a way that there is no need for you to ask anyone for forgiveness. But if you have wronged someone then before the sun goes down at Maghrib Salaah you should go up to the person you wronged and ask for forgiveness with the intention of never wronging the person again. In so doing you will never have any accountability in the presence of your Lord when it comes to matters pertaining to people." In Arab culture there is etiquette when it comes to seeking forgiveness. You  approach the person and talk about the problem face to face. Once the person is forgiven and the apology accepted, the matter is done and over. It should never be brought up again.These whatsapp messages that are shared over and over again is absolutely stupid and idiotic. Today, you asking for forgiveness because its a big night or a big day but the rest of the year you continue to oppress and behave in a cowardly fashion. What utter rubbish. Please do me a favour, save your data and remove me from your forgiveness list!