A Day of Celebration and Tragedy

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, October 3, 2022

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

We felt joy in greeting friends and colleagues at last Thursday’s Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards, some of whom we only had contact with via Zoom for the last two years.

We were treated to Jamaica’s finest in food and drink and felt the relief of those restaurateurs who had managed to survive the pandemic. Our favourites were Sandals, where bartender Marland poured us his unique gin fizz; Rainforest, including desserts created from their frozen fruits by chef Trevanne Donegal; paella from Bahia Principe hosted by David Shields; and Select Brands, where my “little sister” wine authority Debra Taylor Smith exulted after receiving the Chairman’s Award. I was sorry to miss the display of the family favourite Pelican Grill, which I later found out had “milkshakes galore” — one of their most popular offerings.

The service was impeccable and the displays delightful, the result of Jamaican excellence when we unify around our goals. Kudos to Novia McDonald-Whyte and Natalie Chin for pulling off this sparkling event after a worrying deluge that afternoon.

However, our hearts were heavy as we learnt that afternoon of the death of a high school student at the hands of another — two teenage girls. There have been allegations that the attacker had a negative history. This is the dilemma of those of us who have served on school boards: Do we expel a troubled child, leaving them to the perils of their community or do we try to mentor them and keep them in school?

We have to accept that we have young parents in Jamaica, some of whom have received little guidance and live in crime-torn communities. They need support. I remember a Stella Maris Foundation parenting programme in Grants Pen supported by the USAID in the 90s. The remarks of the parents at the end of the project revealed that they desperately needed guidance on discipline, communication, and budgeting. We have a wealth of successful professionals who could participate in mentorship programmes.

As I recall the great folks at the Food Awards, I believe a mentorship drive having a presence at such events could assist in the social healing which Jamaica needs.