Hartley NeitaI missed an Air Jamaica flight to Florida where I had been invited to a day of bird-shooting. Luckily, as I subsequently received an invitation to attend the installation of Professor Kenneth Hall as our fifth Governor-General at King's House.
It was a classy affair. The afternoon was cool. The singing of John McFarlane and the University Singers was inspiring. As the sun cast long and longer shadows across the lawns of King's House, birds flew overhead to their nests; safely.
Jamaica's first Governor-General was an Englishman, Sir Kenneth Blackburne. He was sworn in at King's House in a private ceremony at mid-morning on Independence Day, August 6, 1962. Shortly after, Sir Alexander Bustamante was sworn in as Jamaica's first Prime Minister.
Governor of Jamaica
since 1957
Sir Kenneth's appointment was for three months. He had been the Governor of Jamaica since 1957. His appointment was seen as a bridge between our former colonial status and our new stature as an independent nation. It ended on November 30 when he left Jamaica to return to his home in England. The following day, Jamaica's first native-born Governor-General, Sir Clifford Campbell, was sworn in at the National Stadium at a public ceremony attended by a capacity crowd of spectators. There was no television then.
He entered the stadium with Lady Campbell through the marathon tunnel driven in the Austin Princess, formerly the carriage of the Queen, Princesses and English Governors. He drove anti-clockwise along the track to the Grand Stand where he was greeted by Prime Minister Bustamante. No one noticed that Sir Alexander bowed his head and that Lady Bustamante curtsied to them as they alighted from the car. He was in his black uniform adorned with his insignia and wearing a plumed helmet. It was not until some months later when Her Royal Highness, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and aunt of the Queen was photographed curtsying to him that it was brought home for Jamaicans that full respect was due to him as the Royal representative of the Queen in Jamaica.
When Sir Alexander first announced that a black Jamaican would be appointed Governor-General there was some concern that it was too radical a change. However, by the time he demitted office, he had won the hearts of every Jamaican.
private ceremony
His successor, His Excellency the Most Honourable Florizel Glasspole (who was not knighted until ten years after he was in office) wanted his installation in a private ceremony in the morning room of King's House. He was, however, persuaded to change his mind and he was sworn in on the lawns of King's House. Subsequent Governors-General have been installed there, and so too, have been our Prime Ministers since Edward Seaga in 1980.
Glasspole was a loquacious public speaker. He also kissed every young woman, especially beauty queens who came within his embrace; like the lady politician, who is vice versa, and who seems to have lost the habit in recent times.
Glasspole's successor, Sir Howard Cooke, never lost the rural gentility of his early years. He graced the office with dignity and his deep spirituality.
So we now have a new Head of State. I know he has received scores of suggestions for programmes and projects from friends and admirers, old and new, but I thought I would add my penny-worth.
May I suggest sir (note I have not capitalised the 'S' and hope I will never have to), that you initiate an annual one-week school mentoring programme in which past students visit their alma maters for a one-hour rap session with Fifth and Sixth Form students. Talk to them about their lives and how the values they were taught while at school have shaped the direction of their careers.
Think of P.J. Patterson at Calabar, Edward Seaga at Wolmer's, the then new Prime Minister at their alma mater, Bruce Golding at Jamaica College, Grace Jackson at Queen's, and others.
What a week that would be.
