Honouring wives of past PMs

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Eldermire-Shearer, Manley, and Seaga

Glenda Anderson, Staff Reporter

THEY HAVE been envied, lauded and maybe even pitied. They have been set up as icons of fashion, virtue and manners.

Yet like the 'Cinderellas' of their time they too have been hawkishly criticised, or blatantly ignored - the 'shadow ministers'... wives of Jamaican prime ministers.

Several centuries and oceans away, they, like their sisters in ancient Rome or Greece would have been feted and immortalised in poetry and song.

Heck, a dabble in politics would have given them the status of goddesses. Never mind that to the sentimental few, suicide was the noble way out once their partners went ahead and died.

Some willingly laid themselves on the alters or pyres, offered up as 'toasts'.

Minstrels would have graced their courts, orators would have hailed them for their grace and fertility. That was elsewhere centuries ago.

Following amendments in August of this year to the National Honours and Awards Act, spouses of current, former and future Jamaican Prime Ministers will receive titular honour alongside their husbands.

The amendments to the National Honours and Awards Act which were approved by the Senate in July of this year bestow the honour of the Order of the Nation (ON) on Prime Ministers and an Order of Excellence to foreign Heads of States or Governments who merit it.

The Order of the Nation, the second highest Order, was instituted in 1973 by Regulations made under the National Honours and Awards Act. Members of the Order are entitled to wear the Insignia of the Order as a decoration, to be styled, 'The Most Honourable' and to use the post nominal letters 'ON'.

This honour will also be extended to their spouses who would now be addressed as 'The Most Honorable'.

While the date of investure has not yet been decided, the persons slated to be honored are Carla Seaga, wife of the leader of the Opposition, the Right Honorable Edward Seaga; and Dr. Denise Eldermire-Shearer, wife of former Prime Minister, Hugh Shearer.

Posthumous awards will also be presented to former Prime Ministers Michael Manley, and Sir Donald Sangster. Under the new recommendations, the 'instruments of appointment' are to be passed on to the next of kin or living spouses of those awardees who are deceased.

Mrs. Glynne Manley will therefore accept the posthumous award on behalf of her husband. Ex-spouses however are not entitled to use the title.

Chancellor of the event will be the island's Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe who will officiate for the Governor-General, Sir Howard Cooke, who is himself to be awarded. Lady Cooke already bears the title of 'Most Honorable' but will be recognised as well at the investure.

The new title for Prime Ministers comes as a result of the Order of the Nation being conferred upon them by His Excellency, the Governor-General, in accordance with Regulation 11 (2) of the National Honors and Awards (Order of the Nation) Regulations 1973.

Based on the conferment of the Order, Mr.Patterson will now be referred to as the Most Honourable P.J. Patterson, O.N, PC, QC,MP.

Similarly, former Prime Ministers Shearer and Seaga are to be formally addressed as The Most Honourable.

But Jamaica is not alone as earlier this year (February 25, 2002) - St. Lucian Prime Minister, Honourable Dr. Kenny D. Anthony also issued instructions for bringing into effect a new protocol with respect to the treatment of former Heads of State and Government, and spouses of current and former Heads of State and Government.

The recommendations of the Committee were considered by Government in March of 2001, with the approved arrangements targeted to come into effect from February 22, 2002, the 23rd anniversary of Saint Lucia's Independence.

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