Desmond Henry TODAY'S COLUMN will mark the end of my regular weekly writings that you have become accustomed to. After 12-plus years of continuous writing on your (and the country's) behalf, the Editor has called it an end.
I would first of all, wish to thank The Gleaner for having extended the courtesy to me and especially Opinion Editor Ken Allen, when he was Editor-in-Chief. Secondly, I wish to thank the hundreds (possibly thousands) who have congratulated me personally or by mail for the opinions I have espoused, or the subject matters I have raised over the years.
LOCATIONAL DATELINE
When I was first invited to do a regular column, I willingly accepted but insisted on three main things. First, that I be allowed to carry the fixed locational dateline of Treasure Beach. That was my way of paying homage to that rural district that had such an influence on my upbringing and qualitative appreciation of Jamaica. It would also help to permanently position the hospitality centre of the south coast's future development.
Second, I told the then Editor that I would write more about rural life and rural circumstances, than all previous columnists had ever done. I wanted to help redirect a greater portion of Jamaica's deliberate gaze away from Kingston towards things more rural. By so doing, I wanted to capture on record, some of the outstanding nuances and influences that carved such indelible impressions in my growing up. I felt an obligation to help describe them for greater intellectual understanding and greater cultural assimilation.
POLITICAL ANSWERS
Finally, I wanted to help inspire a kind of reader's 'think tank' by raising and inviting ideas away from the routine, obvious and predictable. I purposely avoided over-dwelling in politics since it seemed everyone already knew all the political answers. Only problem is the country does not appear to have benefited exponentially.
How well did I do? Based on letters, e-mails, comments, phone calls and personal salutations, you have all made me quite proud. From North America, Canada, Europe, the Pacific and Caribbean, readers have contacted me to either say thanks for the information, or to acknowledge the mention. The widow of the late Eddie Burke for example, was so emotionally overcome she could not complete her thank you on the phone, for the piece I did on her late great husband.
BOTTOM LINES
Teachers all, have been so profuse in the appreciation of my 'bottom lines'. They have all said how those one-liners have helped them to stimulate the minds of their students. Country folks have said that my writings gave them a real sense of historical importance; while UWI staffers have commented on how much my subjects have added to their cultural collections.
And so when all is said and done I genuinely feel that my columns over the years have said and done quite a bit. Again thank you all. I propose to have ready by this time next year, select volumes of the best of both my columns and bottom lines. Who to tell, I might end up on your personal bookshelf. Walk good, and read good.
The Bottom Line: There is something about the outside person, that reveals a lot about the inside of their being.
Desmond Henry is a management consultant formerly based in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, now resident in north Florida.
