THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHEN I heard about the death of the Hon Ian McDonald Ramsay O.J.,Q.C., I wanted to write a memory of him. My grandmother spoke of his father when he was the Principal of the Bybrook School in Portland. It was only natural that when Ian went to Munro he and my brother Vin would become close friends. They were part of a clique that made Munro the leading school in sports in Jamaica with their athletic excellence.
After Munro, he taught briefly at Kingston College. There was a story which circulated amongst us younsters. He had gone to a party and a snotty girl refused to dance with him asking with a superior air "Who are you?" He stared at her and replied, "I am Ian McDonald Ramsay, Cen-tenary Scholar. Who are you?"
When he returned from England, I saw him often. I have seen him agonise over the first case he lost. He later returned his Q.C. when he felt that a client was the victim of injustice. His fierce spirit of Independence and self-worth caused him to walk away from a career in politics. He owned and raced horses. One Saturday evening at Caymanas Park, I had locked myself out of my car. He passed by and saw my distress. He calmly pressed on the window and opened it. I wanted to know where he had learned it. He smiled and said, "I have many criminals for clients. I have learned a thing or two from them."
His demeanour in court made him appear like a prince among men. "Goodnight, sweet Prince. Goodnight."
I am etc.,
MANLEY E. LUMSDEN
Faithline@CS.com
P.O. Box 526
Kingston
Via Go-Jamaica
