Memories of General Colin Powell

Ambassador Sue Cobb with General Colin Powell

Excerpt from 

Jamaica Observer Column  

published  1 November 2021

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

Jamaicans felt deeply the passing of General Colin Powell earlier this month. This son of Jamaican parents rose through the ranks of the US Army to the chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Powell, who grew up in the Bronx in New York and was raised in a humble household by caring parents Maud Ariel (née McKoy), a seamstress and Luther Theophilus Powell, a shipping clerk, was appointed as the 65^th US Secretary of State by President George W. Bush in 2001.

I had a chat on Saturday with former US Ambassador to Jamaica Sue Cobb who became a close colleague of General Powell.

 "I met Colin Powell in 2001 when he attended my swearing-in, and I was very flattered that he did that because he doesn't have time to do everyone," she said. "Even though he didn't know me very well then, he did his research and gave a beautiful talk to my family and friends.  He said he had told the President that the job he wanted in the Bush Administration was Ambassador to Jamaica and he told my friends that the President said [jokingly] "No, I have someone who is more qualified' – which was such a fabulous start!"

 "Because of his Jamaican background and just the kind of person he was," she shared, "we really hit it off from the beginning and we had a bit of a two-person admiration society. He couldn't make many official visits because he said he had to pay attention to world affairs and when he does come, he has to pay attention to all 35 of his cousins."

"At end of my term, the Aristide issue arose. It was very difficult for Secretary Powell," she recalls. "I think there were some hard feelings with the Government of Jamaica, maybe some miscommunication between Washington and Kingston; that is the part of leadership that is difficult, when you have to make difficult decisions."

Asked about the renaming of 'Crowne Plaza', 'Powell Plaza', Ambassador Cobb said, "I made the recommendation to Congress for the naming of 'Powell Plaza' in Jamaica just before the end of my tour as Ambassador."

Ambassador Cobb said after she returned to the US, General Powell called her to say that he had visited the building and that he was very pleased. He said he had stayed at the US Ambassador's residence then located at Long Lane and chuckled, "I slept in your bed!"

After her tour of duty ended, she said they would see each other at various events in Washington. "As time went by, we spoke about three or four times yearly. I remember about three years ago, we had a call and he said he had got a diagnosis of multiple myeloma – but he was very upbeat, very sure that would get through that. On a later call we talked about the treatment he was getting at the military hospital practically in the backyard of where he lived and he was always very positive."

However Ambassador Sue said, "In the past 9 months I had a foreboding because he hadn't called. I hadn't called. Then the news came that he passed from Covid but clearly he had difficulties with underlying conditions."

"He was a wonderful leader but he was also a wonderful human being, with all the great things he had done in his life and the blessing he was for many, many people," she said feelingly.  "His book, 'My American Journey' was about as great anyone can be on leadership – many of my colleagues speak of having read the book, and that will be a strong contribution for many, many years."

"Leadership is solving problems," stated General Powell. "The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership." Let every leader remember this lesson.