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Thursday, November 24, 2022
Private Sector and Civil Society Groups Implore the Opposition to Support Extension of SOEs
Riding out this fourth Covid wave
Observer column for published Monday 10 Jan 2022
by Jean Lowrie-Chin
Health Minister Dr Chris Tufton and Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie did not mince words as they warned at last week's press briefing of the fourth wave of Covid, dominated by the highly contagious Omicron variant. Many of us are getting calls from family and friends who went abroad for the holidays that they must postpone their return as they have tested positive for Covid. Now these are not careless people. They have double-masked, worn face shields, remained in the homes of relatives. But somehow that sneaky Omicron found its way into their system.
This virus travels in an aerosol from the mouth or nose of infected persons. It sprays far and wide and its particles are so light that they linger in the air for a long time. Surgical masks offer minimal protection as there are gaps at the sides. Tying the strings makes an even bigger opening. It is recommended that you wear a cloth mask over the surgical mask for full protection, though the ideal is the N95 mask.
We love to sing in church, but this is now forbidden in some churches overseas; the aerosol travels further when released from singing, as well as loud talking and laughing. Covid is a total wet blanket, but if we want to come out of this crisis, we must Zoom and FaceTime the laughter.
We continue to have one of the lowest vaccination rates in the Caribbean: less than 25 percent. A JIS report by Alecia Smith quoted the Minister: "We need to continue to emphasise to Jamaicans that the persons who are most affected by COVID-19, irrespective of the strain, whether it's Delta or otherwise, are persons who are not vaccinated, and it is a sobering message to those who are not, that you are in increased danger and you should make every effort to get vaccinated."
Between last Thursday and Friday, Jamaica recorded 2,862 new cases and nine new deaths. The CMO said that in reviewing the deaths from Covid since March of last year, 98.5 percent of the 1,953 persons who passed away, were unvaccinated. Yes, you can get Covid even if you are vaccinated, but the symptoms will not be as severe as for those who are unvaccinated.
I have been one of those pushing for schools to be reopened but in the face of this massive surge which we believe will pass in three to four weeks, it may be best for the Ministry to take a break once again from face-to-face learning. It is very hard for children to stay safe when they are boarding crowded buses and using taxis. However, we are appealing to the many churches in the inner city to open their doors so children can get some level of supervision. The stories coming out of those places are frightening; we will have 10-year-old alcoholics and weed-heads in these communities if we are not careful.
As to the destruction of 900,000 doses of Covid vaccine at the NHF warehouse, we are hoping that this is a result of negligence rather than sabotage. We Jamaicans go 'the full hundred' of enjoyment at Christmas. This breach happened on Christmas Eve when the celebrations are at peak. It would be bad enough if the loss was caused by negligence, but utterly despicable it is proved to have been done purposely by anti-vax team members.
Young entrepreneurs shine
It is wonderful to see young entrepreneurs making their mark in Jamaica. Monique Powell of QuickCart (formerly QuickPlate) continues to widen her offerings and locations, while Larren Peart, creator of Blue Dot is making his way through his financial challenges.
Tyrone Wilson, CEO of iCreate, was understandably bullish about the digital training and media services company's prospects at its recent AGM. Having survived the downturn of the early stages of COVID, rationalized and reduced expenses, iCreate has again attracted significant investment and is forging ahead with its visionary Creative City project as well as the core business of training for the digital economy through iCreate Institute.
The iCreate Institute has trained some 4,000 individuals to date, and earned over J$150 million. We have a soft spot for the Institute which offered 500 CCRP members free training last year.
Farewell great Jamaicans
We said farewell last week to four amazing Jamaicans, and I confess that my heart is heavy as I reflect on these great individuals.
First came news that my mother's best friend, Mrs Josephine Lowe, a stalwart of the Women's Federation, passed away at 103-years-old. We have fond memories of her 100th birthday party hosted by her son Dr Henry Lowe at Eden Gardens. She stood and danced as they played 'She's Royal' and kept us all in lively conversation. Her house was the centre of fund-raisers for the community, and she was honoured several times for her contribution to the Federation.
Then came news that Dr Glenda Simms, gender activist and former executive director of the Women's Bureau had passed away in Canada. Dr Simms was a renowned feminist; she was president of the Congress of Black Women of Canada and was appointed by the Canadian government as president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
On Saturday, we learned of the passing of the matriarch of the Chen family, Hyacinth Gloria Chen. We shared Mrs Chen's memories in this column some years ago: a single mother who was a bookkeeper at Frenchman's Cove and later opened a small shop in Port Antonio. She then married Vincent Chen who was a wonderful father to her son Michael Lee-Chin, and together they raised a large family. Mrs Chen's guidance influenced her children to aspire to higher learning and entrepreneurship. She was adored as a loving and wise grandmother and quietly reached out to help many. Her contribution to nation building is immeasurable. In her honour, Michael Lee-Chin named the Courtyard at the Royal Ontario Museum Crystal for his mother and later, the Hyacinth Chen School of Nursing at NCU. On meeting her, she immediately became to me as to many others our beloved 'Aunt G'.
Soon after hearing of Mrs Chen's passing, I received the news that my friend and steadfast Board Director of CCRP, Michael Fraser had suddenly passed away. Michael Fraser was the retired Vice President of Sagicor, and it was he who collaborated with them to introduce a health plan for the members of CCRP. This plan literally saved hundreds of lives. Michael gave generously of himself – he served on the board of the Jamaica Cancer Society, the Medical Foundation of Jamaica and supported numerous philanthropic activities. His son Richard says he takes comfort from one of Michael Fraser's regular sayings: "We are not here for a long time; we are here for a good time."
The tributes which have come in from the humble to the high, signal that the late James Moss-Solomon 'walked with kings, but never lost the common touch.' To hear Kadeem Petgrave and Yaneek Page speak of his guidance, to hear Don Wehby speak of his leadership, to hear the Prime Minister speak of his patriotism are testimony of an extraordinary man.
We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families of these unforgettable Jamaicans. May their souls rest in peace.
Photo captions
Hyacinth Gloria Chen – portrait at NCU by Viv Logan
Michael Fraser
Tyrone Wilson
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Archbishop Kenneth Richards calls for prayer to Emancipate Jamaica from Crime
Monday, May 2, 2022
There is still cause for celebration
Observer column published MON 4 April 2022
by Jean Lowrie-Chin
Jamaica PM Andrew Holness welcomed by
US Vice President Kamala Harris
We can become so
mired in the negative news of the day that we do not celebrate Jamaica’s many
wins in recent weeks. We could see that warm genuine smile on the face of US
Vice President Kamala Harris as she welcomed our Prime Minister Andrew Holness
and Ministers Senator Kamina Johnson Smith and Dr Nigel Clarke to the White
House.
Indeed, Vice
President Harris remarked, “As a point of personal privilege, I
grew up going to Jamaica. My family — half of my family is from St. Ann
Parish in Jamaica. And I know I’ve shared that history with millions of
Americans who have their roots through the generations in Jamaica.”
PM Holness noted in his response, “Madam Vice
President, let me say that you have been a source of inspiration and great
pride for many Caribbean people — in particular, our young women in the region.
And we are, indeed, seeing an increase in the political participation of young
women. And this diversity in the political space will augur well for the — for
the region. “
According to a White House report, “The Vice
President underscored that the U.S.-Jamaica partnership is a priority for the
Biden-Harris Administration and that this year, the 60th anniversary
of diplomatic ties between our two nations, we are committed to strengthening
our ties.”
Our delegation did not return home empty-handed, as
Vice President Harris announced a US$20 million grant over a five-year period
“to strengthen and expand key industries for Jamaica”, and a further US$10
million for the support of violence reduction with special focus on our at-risk
youth.
We saw that Ambassador Audrey Marks was very much
at the table of talks and thank her for her efforts in keeping Jamaica front of
mind.
It is a big deal that our small country, population
three million, is afforded valuable time on the busy agenda of the White House.
However, let us not forget that our geographical location at the crossroads of
the Americas, our proud history as a strong democracy and our cultural impact are
notable factors. Let us take the goodwill and the gifts as a challenge to make
Vice President Harris even more proud of her roots, as we tackle crime and
violence.
Jamaican leadership
Dr Nigel Clarke
We were
proud to learn that Finance Minister
Dr Nigel Clarke was last week elected unanimously as chairman of the Board of
Governors of Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Inter-American
Investment Corporation (IIC) for 2022. Dr Clarke was nominated by the governor for Paraguay, Oscar Llamosas DÃaz, and
seconded by the temporary alternate governor for Canada, Andrew Hurst.
Diaz is
quoted by Jamaica Observer Senior Reporter Andrew Laidley as saying, “because
of his great leadership and his ability to bolster public finances in his
country we are sure that his vision, commitment and leadership will also guide
us in this process to renew and strengthen the IDB Group as the needs of our
countries and the region currently demands.”
During
the White House visit, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen congratulated Dr Clarke
on his election as the Chair of the IADB Group’s Board of Governors.
We also
learned that the Government is proposing Senator Kamina Johnson Smith for the
post of Secretary General of the Commonwealth. Although there are mutterings
about our move because the incumbent Baroness Patricia Scotland had been
recommended at a Caricom meeting, we should be aware that there has been
controversy around her governance of the organization. The election of the
Secretary General will be made during the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting, to take place from 20th to 25th June 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda.
We wish
Senator Johnson Smith success in her campaign as she is widely respected as an
accomplished professional.
We
are in recovery mode
STATIN last week reported that for the fourth quarter of
2021, Jamaica’s economy grew by 6.7 percent. The Institute noted that the
services and goods producing industry registered a 9.5 percent growth. STATIN
said the relaxation of some COVID-19 measures,
including the easing of global travel restrictions and reduced curfews hours
may have impacted this growth. Hotels and restaurants represented the fastest
recovering sector, with gains of 79.5 percent. May we continue to recover, but
please don’t ditch your mask.
Vincent Hosang UWI Awards
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| Entrepreneurship awards at UWI: Douglas Lindo (Chairman, Vincent HoSang Entrepreneurship Programme), Dr. David McBean, (Executive Director, Mona School of Business and Management), Dr. Leighton Ellis, 3rd Place Winner, Trae-Ana Wilkins, 1st Place Winner, Joshua Anderson, 2nd Place Winner, Christopher Brown, (General Manager, Project Management Unit, Development Bank of Jamaica) and Tamra Thomas, (Programme Coordinator, Vincent HoSang Entrepreneurship Programme). |
The Vincent Hosang UWI Venture Competition, offering J$1 million cash and prizes attracted eighty entrants, with eight finalists emerging to deliver their pitch earlier this year. The winners were: first place ZRise, an undergraduate team from CARIMAC who developed an online marketplace platform that connects businesses and brands with Caribbean creative influencers and content creators; second, Fresh Fuel, an undergraduate team from the School of Engineering; third, Team Ouro Preto represented by Dr. Leighton Ellis a UWI Faculty member also from the School of Engineering. Fresh Fuel is a start-up looking into the development of modular anaerobic digestion technology for implementation in Jamaica and across the wider Caribbean, while Ouro Preto is a business that converts organic waste to composting material for gardening and farming purposes.
Other
prizes included the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation Award for Corporate Social
Responsibility won by Team T&S Delivery and the Baymac Award for Digital
Transformation and Implementation which was won by Team Swaze.
At the
finals, Mrs. Sabrina HoSang Jordan, CEO, Caribbean Food Delights announced that
the HoSang family will be contributing US$20,000 in additional support to the
Vincent HoSang Entrepreneurship Programme at the Mona School of Business and
Management (MSBM).
Dr.
David McBean, Executive Director of the MSBM in his remarks stated, “We remain
dedicated to ensuring that the UWIVC moves business ideas from mere concepts up
the value chain to commercially viable entities that are market ready as we
work towards playing a more integral role in the strengthening of the local
entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
This was
supported by representatives of co-sponsors, JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation
Chairman Patricia Duncan Sutherland and Nari Williams-Singh, Director General
of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority.
The excellent
Donna-Marie Rowe
Donna-Marie Rowe receiving Gleaner Honour Award for JIS
We note
the departure of Donna-Marie Rowe from the Jamaica Information Service (JIS),
after 21 years at the organisation, the last thirteen of which she served as
Executive Director. We know that in yesteryear this post is vacated quite
swiftly as soon as there is a change of administration. It is a reflection of Mrs
Rowe’s excellence that she was retained in the top post for 13 years under both
PNP and JLP governments.
When you
Google “Jamaica,” JIS is usually near the top, having developed under Mrs
Rowe’s watch into a dependable and timely source of information on our various
Government ministries and agencies.
Clearly
Donna-Marie Rowe will continue to make her mark wherever she decides to go. We
will miss her at the JIS, and we are grateful for the high standard she has set
at the organisation.
Speaking positivity
I am posting this very late after publication but it still has value.
Jean
Published in the Jamaica Observer 3 Jan 2022
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Archbishop Tutu - photo from Africa Report
What will we write on this
clean sheet of 2022? Let us look to the lives of two beloved figures who we
lost recently for inspiration: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and actor and comedian
Betty White. They loved, they laughed and they never stopped working.
My brag is that my sister Frances met and spoke with
Archbishop Tutu when he visited her late boss Bishop Walker of the Episcopalian
Diocese of Washington. She enthused, “Bishop Tutu could be the best stand-up
comedian in the world” after he left them in stitches at the meeting. So here
was a man who did not take himself very seriously, but took the pain of
apartheid into his heart and helped to heal his beloved South Africa. At his
funeral over the weekend, South African Prime Minister Cyril Ramaphosa said,
“He was our moral compass … he was the conscience of South Africa.” The beloved
Archbishop requested “the cheapest coffin possible” and asked that his ashes be
planted at the root of a tree. Because, of course, he knew that his mortal
condition would be giving way to immortal glory to which no funereal trimmings could
compare.
At 87, Betty White co-starred as Grandma Annie in ‘The
Proposal’ and at 88 was host of the legendary Saturday Night Live (SNL),
cracking jokes with style and aplomb. SNL alum Seth Myers posted on social
media: “RIP Betty White, the only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at
the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed
till the bitter end.” She was the antithesis of the airhead Rose Nylund she played
to the hilt in ‘The Golden Girls,’ celebrating ageing with humour.
You get energy from these great humans. We have
excellent examples right here in Jamaica: the late Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, Karl
Hendrickson and Audrey Stewart-Hinchcliffe. None of these three had anything
much of an inheritance. They built their businesses from the ground up and used
every failure to create their next success. That indefatigable patriot
Stewart-Hinchcliffe declared when she received the CCRP Living Legacy Award
last November, “I am a young 82: retirement is not on my agenda!”
You get energy from stories of pain and persistence,
like that of Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams. The
movie ‘King Richard’ starring Will Smith shows the dedication of a father who
would not quit on his dream for his daughters. In their humble household,
education remained number one as he insisted that his children should have
straight ‘A’s and be multi-lingual to stay in the game of tennis. And so, his
daughter Serena wowed the French press when she answered their questions in
their language after winning the French Open.
You get energy from working hard but happy. “Have
fun,” Richard Williams told his daughters as they headed into their games. Williams
wrote on a piece of cardboard that he hung on the fence of the tennis court:
‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’
During our Advent Crusade, our Pastor, Dr Howard
Thompson, used the symbols of gift-wrapping to challenge us to offer up
ourselves in the New Year. That offering was up to us, he said but we must
resolve to make it. Now that is something to consider in a country where there
is great mourning for those who passed from Covid and other illnesses, from
traffic crashes and most tragic of all, from murder. Even if we have nothing
material to give, we can make a call to listen with love and understanding. We
can turn off our devices and giving special attention to the children and
elderly in our families.
None of us is planning to fail in 2022 but are we
doing what our friend Gordon Swaby keeps reminding us to do: “Ignore the noise.
Focus and execute.” We need to listen to this young man – whose EduFocal has
helped tens of thousands of Jamaican students and posted recently, “1/EduFocal x Transport Authority x BCIC
Driver Training platform officially launched. Come January 10, 2022 we will be
onboarding more than 10,000 public passenger vehicle drivers on our platform
(phase 1). More than 2 years of work went into this. Very happy about today!”
As Mandela said, “It
always seems impossible until it is done.” Go for it in 2022!
Growth despite Covid
Dr Nigel Clarke - photo from Loop Jamaica
Recent Statin findings
are that our Jamaican economy grew by 5.8 percent in the quarter ending
September 2021, compared to the previous year. Minister of Finance and Planning
Dr Nigel Clarke noted, “The services component of our economy, which accounts
for approximately 75 percent of economic output, grew by 7.1 percent in
aggregate.” Hotels and restaurants enjoyed a whopping 114.6 percent increase.
We have to be grateful
to the members of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC), chaired by
Keith Duncan who was also recently re-elected President of the PSOJ. This man
is passionate about his country’s development, dedicating his time and his own
resources to ensure full disclosure on the status of main drivers of our
economy.
Duncan noted this growth and spoke with optimism at last month’s EPOC press
briefing. However, his warning of the arrival of the Omicron variant is now
coming to pass: “With the inevitable arrival of the Omicron variant of the virus … we
could see the anticipated fourth wave of COVID-19 impact. Efforts to contain
the spread locally and internationally could see restrictions on economic
activities in the domestic and international markets, which could lead to a
slowdown in travel and disruptions in production and distribution.”
People who are not vaccinated are not only playing with their own lives,
but also with the future of our country.
Back to school
Education Minister Fayval Williams says her Ministry has passed over 800
infant, primary and secondary schools for safe re-opening. Please teachers and
parents, our children need to get back to school. One lady who lives in the
inner city told me they are “running wild” in the lanes. She said there is a
seven-year-old smoking ganja on her lane and that he has absolutely no
supervision.
Both UNICEF Jamaica has conducted studies showing extreme learning loss
among Jamaican children, and has called on the authorities to reopen schools in
an open letter supported by other stakeholders, the Business Process Industry
Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ), Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary
Schools (JAPSS), Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC), Jamaica Employers
Federation (JEF), Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA),
Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) and National Parent-Teacher Association
of Jamaica (NPTAJ).
“Jamaica’s children have lost an estimated 1.3 billion in-class hours over 19 months of physical school closures. The learning loss is staggering. The most vulnerable children who struggle to access remote education have been hit the hardest,” noted the letter dated October 2021.
It continues: “We call on the
government to urgently ensure the safe face-to-face re-opening of Jamaica’s
schools and to remove any barriers that stand in the way, including
vaccination targets for schools. .... This has been done elsewhere, and we
can do it too.”
Keith Duncan and Donna Duncan-Scott honoured at 2022 AFJ Jamaica Charity Gala
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Monday, March 28, 2022
This country of contrasts
By Jean Lowrie-Chin
Even as there were reports of multiple incidents of violence, Jamaica was getting herself ready for a Royal Visit. The front pages spoke of tragedy while the social pages featured highlights of the tour. While I support Prime Minister Andrew Holness's announcement that we are taking the path to becoming a Republic, it was quite in order that we greeted our royal guests with our signature Jamaican warmth. And yes, I am proud that we can organise elegant events on par with any other country.
In one week, there have been three incidents in which teenaged students have lost their lives or been injured: at Morris Knibb High, in a fight over a 'guard ring', at Liguanea Avenue in upper St Andrew where a schoolboy was killed in a cell phone robbery, and at Excelsior High where a student was stabbed in an altercation. Statistics show that Jamaica is losing more lives to violence than countries which are at war.
In the Morris Knibb incident, we asked where are the fathers? There was one weeping mother at the hospital where her son was pronounced dead, and another weeping mother at the police station where her son was taken into custody. It is not only the breakdown of the family that is causing these tragedies, but also the breakdown of the community. Many successful Jamaicans have been raised in single-parent homes, but this was in more peaceful communities where people would socialise and watch out for each other's children.
When we see the danger our children face, we realise that this is not just a job for the security forces. We need more social workers to collaborate with communities in averting violent confrontations. They could conduct parenting sessions in church halls to help strengthen families and engage pastors and mentors to provide support. Churches have now reopened, and the role of pastors and resolute church leaders is now more important than ever. They can be an oasis for troubled individuals and a support system for families and schools.
We are seeing even more resolve in the Jamaica Constabulary Force to clean up their own ranks, with the arrest of four police officers and the search for others in connection with a gang. This gives us hope, as it will build trust in the JCF, crucial for their crime-fighting efforts.
JAID promotes self-advocacy
The Jamaica Association on Intellectual Disabilities (JAID) welcomed the implementation of the Disability Act at their annual Forum last Friday. Executive Director Marilyn McKoy introduced their programme to promote self-advocacy by persons with disabilities, who now have the law firmly on their side.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Digicel Foundation are sponsoring the education programme. We heard from the Acting Country Representative for JICA Toru Togawa, that JICA Alumni Association in Jamaica has supplied knowledge transfer programmes for the past two decades towards capacity building of the staff of JAID associated schools.
Social worker Deborah Manning and moderator Brithney Clarke facilitated discussions with students at the Randolph Lopez School of Hope and a graduate, Andrew. They related incidents where transportation personnel would not accept their Government permit which entitles them to a discounted rate. Lovelette said as she struggled to explain her condition to a health care worker, she was told, "Gwaan home, yu no have no sense."
Persons with intellectual disability (PWIDs) also have difficulty with the police who display a lack of patience with them. They believe more signage could help PWIDs in understanding directions. They are asking for sensitization of police, army and security guards.
The JAID will be launching a campaign with the theme, 'Allow Me'. It features PWIDs showing their achievements and appealing to society to allow them and others like them to enjoy the rights that all human beings deserve. Nigel Davis, Special Olympics gold medallist, was featured on the job at Parang Industries proudly explaining his duties.
We were entertained by drummers of the School Of Hope – their music teacher George Jobson directed the group, whose mature and harmonious performance showed us the excellence which can be achieved by persons with disabilities who are taught with kindness.
Chain of Hope mending hearts
Last week we caught up with Emma Scanlan and Nola Phillpotts Brown of the Chain of Hope charitable organisation at the Jamaica Children Heart Centre, Bustamante Hospital. Chain of Hope funds visiting cardiologists and special care nurses to conduct surgery on children born with heart conditions. The ultramodern facilities for which the Digicel and Shaggy Foundations were key donors, began operations in 2017 and have treated 150 children since then. The local team is led by Dr Sherard Little, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon whose dedication has been remarkable.
Farewell Great Women
We lost two great Jamaican women recently, and I was blessed to have known them.
Evelyn Smart, lifetime Civil Servant, author and coordinating founder of the Women's Political Caucus, was an unremitting activist for women's rights. She celebrated our women parliamentarians in two books, Jamaican Women on the Road to Parliament: From the 19th to the Early 21st Century and Electoral Winnability: Women's Key to Parliament. Evelyn Smart was co-founder of the Rose Leon Memorial Trust, past president of the St Andrew Business and Professional Women's Club; a fellow of the Jamaica Institute of Management; member of the Women's Social Service Club and the Women's Liberal Club. A Thanksgiving Service for Evelyn Smart will be held at the Lyndhurst Methodist Church on Thursday.
Gerda Theobalds was our brilliant English Language and Literature teacher at Convent of Mercy 'Alpha' Academy where she served from 1950 to 1992. She was so affirming of our creative talent that I probably would not be writing this column today if she had not encouraged me on this path. My classmate Margery Campbell Newland spoke of her 'depth of intellect and breadth of knowledge' at her Thanksgiving Service last week. Margery went on to teach at Alpha and Mrs Theobalds mentored the younger teachers including another classmate Dr Denise Wehby Aloma. Margery quoted Denise's description of Mrs Theobalds: "She was memorable, beautiful, priceless. She emboldened me … what a gift she has been to thousands of students." After her retirement, Mrs Theobalds continued to conduct English classes well into her eighties at her home.
We send condolences to the families of Evelyn Smart and Gerda Theobalds. May their beautiful souls rest in peace.
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Dr Paul Farmer 'asked uncomfortable questions'
Friday, December 31, 2021
Marcus Garvey Quotes for 2022
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Memories of General Colin Powell
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 65th 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."