Hooper and Guyana: Unfulfilled potential
Letters
Dear Sir, This comparison has so often been made; Carl Llewelyn Hooper and the land of his birth, the Republic of Guyana. So much promise, so much potential. Everyone has acknowledged Carl's natural gifts. Some of us would prefer to see him bat instead of Lara. No one has ever doubted that Guyana is well endowed; better endowed than any of the other Caribbean territories. But Lara has runs and the Caribbean territories have development to show for their efforts. Every one of the cricketing analysts and experts have talked and written about Hooper's natural ability: His sheer power, his range of stroke play, his elegance, his wealth of natural talent. So much like his country, with its vast quantity of minerals, timber, marine and agricultural and other resources. There have been changes in leadership with little result. From Richards to Richardson to Walsh to Lara. From Burnham to Hoyte to Jagan to Jagan. Same old story. So much potential, yet so much of it undeveloped; so little results. Now, Carl Hooper announces that he has retired from international cricket. We all felt that, with a little more energy, a little more effort, he could have been considerably more productive. The announcement means that there must be no further expectations. The undeveloped will remain undeveloped. Is there a lesson for Guyana?
Yours faithfully 
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