Observer column for MON 10 March 2014 by Jean Lowrie-Chin
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| Jamaica's Nobel Laureate Prof Anthony Chen - honoured by CCRP Jamaica as a Living Legacy in Jamaica's 50th Anniversary celebrations |
Professor Anthony Chen’s address at the re-opening
of the Chinese Cultural Association (CCA) last Sunday received a good deal of
coverage because of his comments on the proposed Goat Island development. Although Prof Chen expressed his disapproval
of a proposed coal-powered electricity generation plant, he explained that he
would not object to the Goat Island project, “as long as all the proper
procedures are carried out to satisfaction.”
Prof Chen noted recent negative comments about
Chinese in Jamaica. “To be clear I am not referring to genuine concerns of some
of those who are worried about the environment,” said the Professor who was
part of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) which shared the
2007 Nobel Peace Prize for the Environment with Al Gore. “I am referring to the
antagonism that would not be there if a USA or UK firm were making the Goat
Island proposal. The antagonists have
been swayed by propaganda both locally and internationally.”
Prof Chen reminded us of the significance of Chinese
ancestry in Jamaica. He said that although official figures may number
Jamaicans of Chinese ancestry in mere thousands, there are many tens of
thousands of Jamaicans who are mixed-race. “At CBA last year I recall meeting
Paula Madison, the owner of the Africa Channel, who is of mixed Chinese ancestry,”
he said. “She travelled to China to discover her Chinese roots and was warmly
and enthusiastically welcomed to her village, to the extent that she was
invited to visit again the following year for a family celebration.”
| Gloria Palomino - Gleaner photo |
This reminded me of a story from my friend Gloria
Palomino who said when she visited a village in Guangdong and some residents
found out she was from Jamaica, out came dozens of African-looking folks who
spoke Hakka. It turned out that they
were of mixed Jamaican parentage, born here and sent to China study the culture,
but there were no funds to take them back home to Jamaica. So there they remain to this day, hungry for
news of the homeland to which they were never able to return!
But back to the Chinese Cultural Association. It is located at 22 Barbican Road, next to
Orchid Plaza, and its library has many important publications donated by
Ambassador Dong, who graciously opened the centre. It differs from the Chinese Benevolent
Association whose emphasis is outreach and limits membership only to those of
Chinese ancestry. Membership in the CCA
is open to all Jamaicans.
Tessanne at the White House
Although I believe Jamaica is one of the most
racially harmonious countries in the world, there are the ignorant few that
hold backward and hurtful views. And
so when my Alpha classmates of Chinese ancestry went “Tessanne crazy” last
year, I could understand how proud they felt that finally one of their own was
allowed unconditionally to wave our flag high, and was embraced unreservedly on
that exciting night when she became NBC’s “The Voice” for 2013. At that Digicel Homecoming concert at the
Waterfront, Tessanne shed tears when she felt the love of the jubilant
thousands.
As if that were not enough, our Tessanne and her handsome husband Michael Anthony
Cuffe Jr were invited by that conscious First Lady Michelle Obama, to
participate in the “Women of Soul: Performance at the White House” last
Thursday. What an amazing honour for
Jamaica’s young star! We will never forget what she said to Adam Levine about
wanting to give her best to “Redemption Song”: “It is an important song for my
people.” Hear that people? So let us not allow anyone to divide us.
Let’s stay “Out of Many One” strong.
