Tweet
Well, I can safely say that, looking back months from now, we will see that World War III began with a simple thread on what I consider to be Jamaica’s “Top 5 Public and Private Sector Leaders.” But since the Third World War was inevitable anyway, it might as well begin in December 2012. 
Note: The five leaders below have been ranked alphabetically -- in other words, this is NOT a ranking according to their importance. I have also written a few sentences on each man as a reminder of their contributions to national life.
Carlton Alexander (late CEO of Grace Kennedy& Co Ltd.)
Marcus Mosiah Garvey (Pan-African leader)
Robert Lightbourne (1960s minister of trade and industry)
Norman Washington Manley (former Jamaican premier)
Noel Nethersole (former minister of finance)
CARLTON ALEXANDER: Selwyn Carlton Alexander was the long-serving CEO of arguably Jamaica’s most successful homegrown industry, Grace Kennedy & Co Ltd. He was also one of the masterminds behind the creation of the powerful Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ). Alexander served in a major capacity on a plethora of Jamaican organizations until his death in 1989 at age 73. The Grace Kennedy Foundation, which plays a useful role in education for Jamaica College students, was created in memory of this great Jamaican.
MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY: Although he lived much of his life outside of Jamaica, Marcus Garvey founded his famous Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica sometime around 1912. In addition to his influential writings, Garvey’s 1919 Black Star Liner shipping company and the Negro Factories Association were visionary steps by this very outstanding leader, as was his newspaper, “Negro World,” which was started around 1918.
There is absolutely no question that his impact on the world has dwarfed that of almost every other Jamaican who ever lived. In fact, Garvey’s Black Nationalism and Pan - African philosophies influenced black awareness and black pride in various countries during the first half of the twentieth century, creating a global impact in the process, and his ideas remain relevant to this day. Groups as diverse as America’s Nation of Islam and Jamaica’s Rastafarian movement have their roots directly in the teachings of Garvey.
ROBERT LIGHTBOURNE: More than any Jamaican that I am aware of, this former minister of finance had a genuine passion for the industrialization of Jamaica. In fact, here is what Claude Clarke had to say about Bobby Lightbourne: “Although I was already committed to the idea of an industrialised Jamaica - in fact, it was my only reason for entering politics - I was further infected by Lightbourne's enthusiasm. He flattered me by expressing the belief that I might be able to play a role in advancing this goal if the PNP were elected in the upcoming elections, and even made an audio tape endorsing my candidacy. I never used the tape in my campaign but occasionally listened to it, especially at the times of my greatest frustrations in government.” (Source: The Sunday Gleaner, April 5, 2009:http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090405/cleisure/cleisure2.html )
NORMAN W. MANLEY, the founder of the PNP in 1938, was Jamaica’s premier from 1959 to 1962. This great scholar and legal mind not only worked tirelessly for the establishment of trade unions and auniversal adult suffrage, but he was also a strong supporter of regionalism via the 1958 West Indian Federation. However, he saw his dreams of a regional grouping disappear in the results of the 1961 referendum.
Norman Manley’s contribution to Jamaican life is difficult to overstate! This man and his government set the economic agenda for Jamaica’s future when he established numerous statutory boards and government bodies to play an active role in industrial development. This national hero died in 1969 at the age of 76.
Here is an excerpt from his last public address to an annual conference of the PNP: “I say that the mission of my generation was to win self-government for Jamaica.To win political power which is the final power for the black masses of my country from which I spring. I am proud to stand here today and say to you who fought that fight with me, say it with gladness and pride: Mission accomplished for my generation.”
NOEL NETHERSOLE: Like NW Manley, Nethersole was a Rhodes Scholar, and later became Jamaica’s minister of finance during the years 1955 – 1959. Although he never lived to see his dream child, the Central Bank of Jamaica (Nethersole died in 1959 at the age of 57), he nevertheless was the leader who foresaw the need for the establishment of a Jamaican stock exchange, a development bank and a central bank as essential instruments for the execution and management of a sound monetary policy. At the time of his death, his plans for the establishment of the Central Bank of Jamaica were well underway.
Note: The five leaders below have been ranked alphabetically -- in other words, this is NOT a ranking according to their importance. I have also written a few sentences on each man as a reminder of their contributions to national life.
Carlton Alexander (late CEO of Grace Kennedy& Co Ltd.)
Marcus Mosiah Garvey (Pan-African leader)
Robert Lightbourne (1960s minister of trade and industry)
Norman Washington Manley (former Jamaican premier)
Noel Nethersole (former minister of finance)
CARLTON ALEXANDER: Selwyn Carlton Alexander was the long-serving CEO of arguably Jamaica’s most successful homegrown industry, Grace Kennedy & Co Ltd. He was also one of the masterminds behind the creation of the powerful Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ). Alexander served in a major capacity on a plethora of Jamaican organizations until his death in 1989 at age 73. The Grace Kennedy Foundation, which plays a useful role in education for Jamaica College students, was created in memory of this great Jamaican.
MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY: Although he lived much of his life outside of Jamaica, Marcus Garvey founded his famous Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica sometime around 1912. In addition to his influential writings, Garvey’s 1919 Black Star Liner shipping company and the Negro Factories Association were visionary steps by this very outstanding leader, as was his newspaper, “Negro World,” which was started around 1918.
There is absolutely no question that his impact on the world has dwarfed that of almost every other Jamaican who ever lived. In fact, Garvey’s Black Nationalism and Pan - African philosophies influenced black awareness and black pride in various countries during the first half of the twentieth century, creating a global impact in the process, and his ideas remain relevant to this day. Groups as diverse as America’s Nation of Islam and Jamaica’s Rastafarian movement have their roots directly in the teachings of Garvey.
ROBERT LIGHTBOURNE: More than any Jamaican that I am aware of, this former minister of finance had a genuine passion for the industrialization of Jamaica. In fact, here is what Claude Clarke had to say about Bobby Lightbourne: “Although I was already committed to the idea of an industrialised Jamaica - in fact, it was my only reason for entering politics - I was further infected by Lightbourne's enthusiasm. He flattered me by expressing the belief that I might be able to play a role in advancing this goal if the PNP were elected in the upcoming elections, and even made an audio tape endorsing my candidacy. I never used the tape in my campaign but occasionally listened to it, especially at the times of my greatest frustrations in government.” (Source: The Sunday Gleaner, April 5, 2009:http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090405/cleisure/cleisure2.html )
NORMAN W. MANLEY, the founder of the PNP in 1938, was Jamaica’s premier from 1959 to 1962. This great scholar and legal mind not only worked tirelessly for the establishment of trade unions and auniversal adult suffrage, but he was also a strong supporter of regionalism via the 1958 West Indian Federation. However, he saw his dreams of a regional grouping disappear in the results of the 1961 referendum.
Norman Manley’s contribution to Jamaican life is difficult to overstate! This man and his government set the economic agenda for Jamaica’s future when he established numerous statutory boards and government bodies to play an active role in industrial development. This national hero died in 1969 at the age of 76.
Here is an excerpt from his last public address to an annual conference of the PNP: “I say that the mission of my generation was to win self-government for Jamaica.To win political power which is the final power for the black masses of my country from which I spring. I am proud to stand here today and say to you who fought that fight with me, say it with gladness and pride: Mission accomplished for my generation.”
NOEL NETHERSOLE: Like NW Manley, Nethersole was a Rhodes Scholar, and later became Jamaica’s minister of finance during the years 1955 – 1959. Although he never lived to see his dream child, the Central Bank of Jamaica (Nethersole died in 1959 at the age of 57), he nevertheless was the leader who foresaw the need for the establishment of a Jamaican stock exchange, a development bank and a central bank as essential instruments for the execution and management of a sound monetary policy. At the time of his death, his plans for the establishment of the Central Bank of Jamaica were well underway.
)
Comment