Strong Jamaicans give life lessons

The plaudits and announcements this week are a reminder that we can never give up.

Jamaican people do not venture out in the rain, so when we saw the turnout for Grace Baston’s retirement from Campion College, for Howard Mitchell’s Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Hall of Fame induction, and for Ibo Cooper’s thanksgiving service, we knew that they had stamped their names in the hearts of their fellow Jamaicans.

Great and Godly Grace Baston

I remember my late brother-friend Father Jim Webb, former chair of Campion College School Board, acting as if he had won the Super Lotto when he related that Baston had accepted his invitation to be principal of Campion. “Actually,” chuckled Baston, “he asked me to ‘hold the fort’ and that was 18 years ago.” Father Jim said he wanted her to help build God’s kingdom in her leadership of the high school, and so she did, throwing herself into the educational and spiritual development of the school, showing respect to all denominations and religions.

“We pause and appreciate this moment, where we can acknowledge that Christ has always been the identity of Grace, that Christ has been the identity of Campion, that Christ is our identity and it is through that identification with Christ that all work flows,” said homilist Father Roger Graham at the Mass in honour of Baston.

The former Sister of Mercy, graduate and principal of Convent of Mercy Academy “Alpha”, Baston has lived “the good and true” of the mercy charism, even as she insisted on discipline and respect from her charges. Baston is multilingual, a talented singer and musician, and for one of her annual principal’s reports, she did a dancehall version, complete with DJ, music, and her flagman.

But there can be no rest for our dynamic, charismatic Baston. Now she has accepted the chairmanship of Citizen’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE), the brainchild of her mentor Father Jim. The day after her big celebration, Baston was in our office with Campion chair and CAFFE Board Director Anton Thompson to discuss the recruitment of CCRP members as CAFFE volunteers. Blessings to you our irrepressible, unstoppable Gracie!

PSOJ Hall of Famer Howard Mitchell

After the glowing PSOJ citation was read by his colleague Richard Pandohie, Howard Mitchell was gracious in his thanks, but commanding in his challenge to the impressive gathering of political and private sector leaders.

The citation spoke of attorney-at-law Mitchell’s service “on as many as 14 statutory boards, representing industries ranging from agriculture to mining. To those assignments he gave the same level of energy, dedication, and acuity that he had in his corporate positions”. His creation of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) brought new opportunities to Jamaica’s sporting aspirants.

A man of “unimpeachable integrity”, in the words of PSOJ President Metry Seaga, the citation noted “his role in establishing, in 2017, the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP)… dedicated to fostering a more engaged citizenry and improving public accountability and service delivery”. Howard has given his “time, treasure, and talent to the St Patrick’s Foundation, Mustard Seed, and the Issa Trust Foundation”.

As PSOJ president from 2017 to 2019, Mitchell “either led or significantly influenced the development of far-reaching and, in fact, transformative policy positions and initiatives on crime management and national security, financial and general accountability in the public and private sectors, disaster preparedness… and environmental stewardship”.

As chairman of the National Health Fund (NHF) during the COVID-19 pandemic, “Mitchell was integral to Jamaica, even having a COVID vaccine programme”, sharing kudos with the able and dedicated NHF team.

Mitchell began his reply, sharing, “I am the sum total of the careful socialisation by my blessed parents, the calm and patient guidance of my wife Linda, the loyal and somewhat bemused love and affection of my two daughters, Erin and Kirsten… I have been blessed by the mentorship and example of my dear departed friend Raymond Chang and more recently by the inspiring friendships with people, such as Howard Hamilton, Leighton McKnight, Peter Moses, Owen Ellington, Butch Hendrickson, Chris Zacca, Glen Christian, Dr the Honourable Christopher Tufton, Michael and Thalia Lyn, who every day strengthen my belief in the essential decency of mankind.”

He joked, “My best friend since childhood, Dr Aggrey Irons, perhaps became a psychiatrist because of his perceived need to care for me.”

He lauded Jamaica’s successes but raised a red flag. “But… I put it to you that we are in grave danger of failure as a nation, as a society, as a community of souls. We are hell-bent on self-destruction because of our culture of selfish and divisive tribalism, which steadfastly ignores value unless it is clothed in green or orange.”

He warned, “We practice the doctrine of divide and rule that was practised upon us for many years past by our slave masters and refuse to acknowledge the damage that we now do to our future… we steep ourselves in the culture of piracy and mayhem and theft, which is so ingrained in our beginnings but will be the cause of the end of us as a functional society.”

He challenged, “We must demand to participate with the State in building a nation… with ethical principles and energetic and constant consideration for the upliftment of all of us… Not just 50 per cent on a rotating basis, according to our tribe.”

As he called for a ‘Values and Attitudes’ campaign, Mitchell noted to Prime Minister PJ Patterson, who was in attendance, “Yes, Prime Minister Patterson, I know it’s not an original thought… but it’s a thought that has never been given a chance… Jamaica suffers from a massive vacuum of communal beliefs.”

Congratulations, Howard. We hope that all of us who gave you a standing ovation will stand up for the principles which have been the foundation of your life’s work.

Farewell, Ibo Cooper

There was an outpouring of love and respect as Jamaicans mourned the passing of the legendary musician and educator Michael “Ibo” Cooper.

Co-founder of the acclaimed Third World band, Cooper has been composer, performer, and mentor in our creative landscape. The hard-working, caring father was lauded by his three children. His youngest, Akiri, said “Ibo” stood for “intelligence, benevolence, and obedience”.

State minister Norman Dunn has announced that the recording studio at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, where Cooper taught and guided students since 1997, will be named in his honour.

It had been a heartbreaking year for Cooper, who had lost his son Arif in March and his wife of 50 years, Joy, in September. May they rest in peace.

STGC Old Boys’ Annual Awards

Herman Athias, retired business executive and IT expert; Christopher Berry, Mayberry Investments, executive chairman; and Deacon Oswald Tai will receive the prestigious Monsignor Gladstone Wilson Award this Saturday.

The annual event is hosted by the St George’s College Old Boys’ Association (STGCOBA), which has stated that the three awardees “have all given excellent service to the STGCOBA and the wider society in the fields of banking, business, and finance”. Heartiest congratulations to them.

Source: Jamaica Observer; https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/strong-jamaicans-give-life-lessons/