By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterHOUSE MARSHALL Keith Henry has been shouldering the gold-plated mace in Parliament for the past six years and he's loving it.
Seldom in the limelight, the vigour with which he carries the rather heavy mace and the pace at which he also does so, belie the age of the 65-year-old father of four who says he exercises frequently to keep fit.
Mr. Henry has been working at Gordon House for the past 17 years, first as an orderly then later chief orderly.
"I enjoy my job much," he told The Gleaner, his face brimming with love for a job that doesn't get paid much but to which he has grown attached since landing the position in 1999.
"This office of House Marshall is a very high office and you have to live up to it."
The onlooker at House sittings might perceive Mr. Henry's job as merely bearing the mace, but he sees his duties as entailing much more.
"You are responsible for the Chamber, and you have to see that it is clean and that people are properly attired to come into the House," he explained.
"The mace has to be kept clean under my portfolio," he said, pointing out that no sitting of the Parliament can be convened if the mace, a symbol of the Queen, is not placed inside the Chamber.
Historically, the mace was originally a weapon of war made of iron or steel which could break through the strongest armour. In the middle ages, bishops carried maces to war instead of swords, as priests were forbidden to shed blood.
ROYAL BODYGUARDS
Royal bodyguards also carried maces to help them protect the king. Soon, the mace was regarded as a symbol of the king's authority and was made of precious metals and decorated with jewels.
Clerk of the House Shirley Lewis told The Gleaner that Mr. Henry "tries his best" as House Marshall. She notes, however, that the salary of House Marshall is not attractive to get younger persons to fill the post.
"In England, House Marshalls are usually retired army officers, but people here in Jamaica who might be interested are turned off when they hear the salary," she said.
Mr. Henry said he can barely survive on his meagre income.
But, he has always had a fondness for parliamentary affairs, influenced mainly by his frequent visits to Gordon House during his many years chauffeuring former Attorney-General and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament Victor Grant.
"I never used to attend Parliament; it was when I got the job with Mr. Grant that I came to Parliament and I saw how it ran," said Henry. "My wish was to work at Parliament."
Having been around for several generations of parliamentarians, Mr. Henry, who expects to retire in two years, said he has had fond memories of House sittings, the latest being earlier this year when Government and Opposition members clashed in the House of Representatives.
"Mr. (Edmund) Bartlett took away the mace and I ran him down to the main door and took it away and locked it up," he said laughing at the memory. "I ran him down because I am in charge of the mace, not him."
The incident elicited much public rebuke and resulted in Mr. Bartlett apologising for his action.
