A 50th anniversary is sometimes, most times, something to cherish, to remember, probably for another 50 years.

Based on the promotion, media coverage, attendance and standard of play, however, the 50th anniversary of the Caribbean Table Tennis Federation, or to use its new name, the Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF), was a total, or almost a total, embarrassment.

In thanking the people for their support on the final night of a tournament, in which there were always more players than spectators, the organisers of the tournament talked about the high standard of play. They said that the game in the region is growing and expressed a hope that it will get better and bigger in the not-too-distance future.

No growth

However, as far as I am concerned and despite the change in style and technique, what took place at the University of Technology auditorium this year, from Monday to Friday almost two weeks ago, cannot be described as growth. At least, not for a tournament that has enjoyed tremendous success since the first serve in 1958. When I remember, for example, the skills of players like Fuarnado Roberts, Leo Davis, Tony Byer and Taffy Chrichlow, Marjorie John, Petal Lee Loi, Joy Foster and Monica DeSouza, followed by others such as Orville Haslam, George Braithwaite, Errol Caetano, Mansingh Amarsingh and Stephen Hylton, Claire Harris, Carol Davidson, Yvonne Rodriquez and Martha Baez, plus a host of other outstanding men and women players, the standard of play was much better in days gone by.

On top of that, when I remember the many teams, including the record number of 26 that participated in 1989; when I remember that in the past the tournament was so well supported that it had to be staged at the National Arena and when I remember that the arena was packed to almost capacity every night, the attendance of teams and spectators were much higher in days gone by and very much higher at that.

Tale of decay

In other words, with only six teams, plus Jamaica, participating in the men's team event; with only one team, plus Jamaica, participating in the women's team event and with only a handful of spectators on hand each session, the 50th anniversary tournament cannot be recognised as a sign of growth, but rather as a tale of decay.

Apart from the number of teams on parade, what was most disturbing was the standard of play and none more so than that of Jamaica, the country which has produced so many outstanding players, so many champion teams and so many champions.

According to members of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA), Jamaica did quite well. As far as they are concerned, apparently they did quite well because they finished second in the men's team event, second in the women's team event, because they won the women's under 21 singles, because they finished second in the men's Under 21 singles and because they got to the semi-finals of both the men's and the women's singles.

Although past champions Dexter St Louis and Trevor Farley were present, they were well past it - and especially St Louis at age 41.

Although there were some promising young girls on show, in Rheann Chung, there was only one player of skill in the women's singles.

To me, there was nothing encouraging, nothing to shout about, in Joseph Dibbs reaching the semi-finals of the men's singles or in Yvonne Foster reaching the semi-finals of the women's singles or in winning the Under 21 singles.

In fact, with only Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago as 'big' teams in the tournament, it was very disappointing that only one Jamaican got to the last 16 of the men's singles.

Did not do well

The truth, the harsh reality, is that Jamaica did not do well.

In the men's team event, Jamaica finished, as expected, behind Barbados with the two Farley brothers - Trevor and men's singles champion, the 22-year-old Kevin.

In the two-team contest for the women's title, Jamaica not only finished second but they were also beaten easily at 3-0 with both Chung and number two Astra Edwards defeating Foster.

In the men's singles semi-finals, Jamaica's Dibbs lost to the 37-year-old Remy Delange from Aruba 4-2 after leading 2-1.

The greying Delange then lost easily at 4-0 (11-3,11-4, 11-5,11-6) to Kevin Farley in the final; and after cruising to a 4-0 victory (11-3, 11-4, 11-4, 11-1) over Foster in the semi-finals, the 23-year-old Chung, taking it easy, defeated Corrine Baillant 4-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-2, 11-3) in the women's final.

On the way to the final, Baillant, a fat, grossly overweight 49-year-old from French Guyana, defeated one of Jamaica's young representatives 4-0 (including 11-0 in the final game), defeated Edwards (who defeated Foster in the team events) in the quarter-finals and Ashley Quashie, the Trinidad and Tobago number three, in the semi-finals.

The young Quashie lost 1-4 (6-11, 12-14, 12-14, 12-10, 5-11) to the old Baillant in the women's singles and lost 3-0 (8-11, 10-12, 7-11) to young Foster in the Under 21 final.

Yvonne Foster looks promising. So, too, do some of the other young players, boys and girls, in this country and there can be no question about that.

Best forgotten

As far as the promotion, the standard of play of Jamaica in particular, for Kevin Farley and Chung, all the other teams in general and the spectator support of the 2008 tournament were concerned, however, but for the honour bestowed on Roberts and John, the first singles champions, but for the magnificent and glittering trophies presented on the final night, the 50th anniversary of the 'Caribbean', as the championships have been known for half a century, is best forgotten.