THE EDITOR, Sir.
THE CURRENT chairman of the Insurance Institute of Jamaica [IIJ] appears to have 'forgotten' about the history of the College of Insurance in its 21st anniversary supplement.
This may be understandable given his sin of pride. On the other hand, his inability over the years to recognize others leads one to ponder whether accuracy and integrity were not sacrificed on the altar of his self-importance. I must, however, accept some of the blame for not challenging his version of history before now. I have allowed him [and others] to 'hog the show' for many years!
The education committee of the IIJ was floundering in the early 1980s. I was aware of this because I overhead discussions which took place when the committee met in the evenings at my office on Trinidad Terrace. I told the committee chairman [who was a member of my staff at the time] of my concerns and recommended a certain course of action. I was not a member of that group. I later convened a meeting which Dr. Lloyd B. Hunter, whom I knew, the committee chairman and I attended. It was following that meeting that the IIJ engaged the services of Dr. Hunter to carry out a training needs analysis for the non-life insurance industry. This study led among other things to the formation of the college and the employment of Dr. Hunter as its first principal.
INTERVENTION
"Neither the then IIJ chairman or the head of the education committee ever thanked me for my intervention or for introducing them to Dr. Hunter. When he demitted office as principal some years later, Dr. Hunter sought to set the record straight. He thanked me for linking him with IIJ and for contributing indirectly to setting up of the college. This occurred at a reception held at the home of the late Jennifer Cox, who was then chairman of the college.
I am etc
CEDRIC E. STEPHENS
aegis@cwjamaica.com.
P.O. Box 20,
Kingston 6.
