Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor
LaGrange Johnson: As someone who lived in a city that was just as bad as Kingston, I will do anything in my power to help. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
JAMAICA HAS a new American Ambassador; she is Brenda LaGrange Johnson - successful primary school teacher and businesswoman.
Mrs. Johnson was a partner with BrenMer Industries, for 29 years importing and marketing consumer products. In 2002, Mrs. LaGrange Johnson was appointed by United States President George W. Bush to the President's Advisory Council to the Arts (PACA), for the J.F.K. Center for Performing Arts. And in 2004 she was appointed to its board of trustees. She served as a member of the Woodrow Wilson Council since 1999 and has given years of service in other areas of her country's national life.
No stranger to Jamaica, Mrs. LaGrange Johnson honeymooned in the island several years ago and has, since her return, visited some of the popular beauty spots on the island. In her spare time she plays tennis, works out at the gym and engages in cultural activities. She is married to J. Howard Johnson and has four children and four grandchildren.
In her first interview since the start of her tour of duty, Mrs. LaGrange Johnson spoke about some of the issues close to her heart.
BE: American First Lady Laura Bush has said she'd love to see Condoleezza Rice on the Republican party ticket for the next general election. The Philippines has a female president, the new German Chan-cellor is a woman, in Liberia there is a woman president, Chile has a female head and here in Jamaica one of the leading contenders for leadership of her party is a woman. Do you think the world is ready for female leadership, and by extension America and Jamaica?
BLJ: Totally and absolutely, because there is a groundswell. Britain's Margaret Thatcher set an example and it has taken a long time for others to follow but it is exciting for the German Chancellor and for the head of an African nation. Elizabeth Dole in the U.S. tried for the presidency and did not make it, but she represents pioneering women in the field. Even if Hillary Clinton is not elected, she has paved the way for other women to go that road and everyone in the Republican Party would love to see Condoleezza Rice on the ticket.
My personal opinion is that if the president of the United States were to ask Secretary Rice to run, I believe she would find it hard to say no.
They are good friends, and there is mutual respect, plus he would not do it idly; and it would be great for America to have a beautiful, intelligent, black, accomplished person as the first female president of America. So yes, I think America is ready, we just have to put the right candidates.
BE: And what about Jamaica; do you think after all these years we are finally ready for a female Prime Minister?
BLJ: I have only been here for a short time and I have asked the question of some of my new Jamaican friends and associates and I can only quote what they have said to me.
The word I have been told is that Jamaica is not ready for a female Prime Minister. On the other hand, I can say that most of whom I have spoken to in a casual way all like Portia Simpson Miller a lot.
BE: Crime is a big problem for us; you must have heard it all prior to coming. Do you feel any fear living here now and for the next three and a half years? And, what's on your agenda with regards to assisting Jamaica in its crime management initiatives?
BLJ: I have no fear, but I am lucky to be well protected. But coming from and growing up in New York City where I saw how crime paralysed the city, and I saw what can happen when you have competent leadership take over (and) solve the problem, it makes a difference.
Mayor Rudi Giuliani, followed now by Mayor Bloomberg, has made our streets clean, safe, free of crime; they got the homeless off the streets, got the garbage off the streets too and cut the crime rate.
We now have one of the lowest crime rates but, sadly, Jamaica has the highest. New York's Police Commissioner Kelly has been here, and worked in collaboration with experts from Britain to help solve this problem. It's not for lack of trying, but we have to try harder.
I have spoken to Commissioner Kelly and asked him to come back because we need more help. So as someone who lived in a city that was just as bad as Kingston, I will do anything in my power to help. It can be done; streets can be made safe to walk, but it takes a lot of work, follow through and police power.
There is hope, and the key is cooperation, but the United States is willing to help and Jamaicans are anxious for crime reduction.
BE: When Ambassador Sue Cobb was here, one of her promises to us was that the United States would do all in its power to ensure proper tracking of guns coming out of the United States and into Jamaica. Do you know what is the status of that plan now?
BLJ: I know it's being monitored, but there is a lot more to be done. It takes great inter-governmental cooperation. I don't think all the guns are coming from America, I think there are other points of origin.
BE: Have you set out an agenda of things you want to accomplish during your tour of duty and a timetable for their implementation?
BLJ? My own personal interests are very strong. I was a schoolteacher and I believe in early education. We have a wonderful initiative for the Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETT) Programme, and I plan to visit a school next week.
I am interested in the advancement of the school system. The CETT Programme exists in some eight Caribbean countries, but the centre is Jamaica and a total of 43 schools have this presidential initiative.
It's part of the USAID programme here and it's the perfect opportunity to get a visit from First Lady Laura Bush. So I want to see how this five-year programme is doing. It's already in its third year and we could put together an event to show the First Lady what her husband's initiative is doing. So I will try to get her to come. As a primary school teacher I think I could help.
BE: How many years did you teach?
BLJ: I taught for seven years at Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn. It was a tough and interesting neighbourhood. I am very interested in the arts; served on the board of trustees at the Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and I think cultural exchanges are important. So far, I'm very impressed with the few things I've been exposed to here from an artistic level. I am impressed with the Univer-sity Singers, they are fantastic.
BE: What about the Building Bridges programme; will you continue that as well?
BLJ: Definitely, we will continue anything Sue Cobb started; she was an amazing leader.
BE: Let's turn now to U.S.-CARICOM relations. Are you happy with the current state of things and do you have any ideas for improvement, especially with us now having the CARICOM Single Market (CSM)?
BLJ: The CSM is an exciting accomplishment for the region; Secretary Rice met with CARICOM during the United Nations meeting last September and she promised to come visit the Caribbean.
That's in the works so we are hoping. There are suggested dates, but nothing is set yet. The future of U.S.-CARICOM relations has to continue to be worked on, but there are many fires to be put out around the world and Secretary Rice is busy with them.
Karen Hughes, our head of public diplomacy, is also interested in visiting the region because more prominent people from Washington need to visit. I am going to the White House in April and I will make it a priority on my agenda.
BE: Still in the Caribbean, Haiti just got a new president - René Preval - and America is happy, having put so much into the election, but former President (Jean-Bertrand) Aristide has said he will return. How do you feel?
BLJ: A senior member of our embassy here will be heading to Haiti. He has served there before and he's anxious to return; Haiti will be fortunate to have him. We are positive about the election.
BE: Apart form the obvious, such as funding an election process, what are some of the tangible and long-term measures? America does not do enough for Haiti. It's not as prioritised as other areas in Europe and the Middle East.
BLJ: Our Government just spent US$30 million on the election in Haiti.
BE: But that's one event; what about projects that will lift the population out of poverty? If you could, what would you do to assist Haiti?
BLJ: I would say that it's the same thing that happens in every developing country where America and other countries have gone in and helped. It has to start with agriculture and education, and it has to start with training people to do the work. It's not different in Haiti from it is anywhere else.
Haiti's problem has existed a long time and I know our Government is prepared to work closely with the new administration. Capable and competent persons from the Kingston staff will be going and working closely with the new administration.
BE: Talk about the new embassy complex; what's in store there?
BLJ: First, I want to thank Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie. There have been challenges, but he has helped us a great deal. There has been a lot of controversy and we are disappointed that we are not more advanced. We had hoped to be in it months ago. In the long run, we are pleased to have employed over 700 Jamaican construction workers, putting in at least US$15 million into the Jamaican economy.
The building is going to be state-of-the art; it's behind schedule, but we hope to complete it by August, and by November we will be living and working there. It will be my Christmas present. We are excited about it; it's on budget. We will invite Secretary Rice to the opening but usually she likes to come after it has been up and running. It will be a perfect opportunity to have her.
BE: What will be different about the new facility?
BLJ: It will have all new fixtures, security and systems. We are working on parking and a shuttle service. The Visa Department will be a part of the building and everything will be under one roof.
BE: Are you happy with the current situation of outsourcing visa fees collection?
BLJ: So far, so good, and we are pleased that many more persons are now getting online to make appointments. A remarkable statistic is that we grant 50 per cent of the visa applications we receive.
BE: Jamaica will next year be among the hosts of the Cricket World Cup. You are from a country that is used to staging huge sporting events; if you were in charge of the committee, what three things would you do to make it a success?
BLJ: Jamaica has a golden opportunity to make this beautiful island shine. Cricket is the second most-watched sport in the world, and like is happening in Torino, Italy, with skating now. Jamaica has to be so packaged that after the event, millions will want to visit this island.
The next thing is that there should be at least two cruise ships in Kingston Harbour to house the overflow of visitors who will need rooms.
Another factor is the logistics of transportation between Trelawny and Kingston before and after the opening ceremony. The persons at the opening ceremony will have to be back in Kingston for the match.
Also, the security will be good and everyone wants to be safe, but measures will be a problem for spectators who will be experiencing them at that level for the first time. So, many things will have to be worked out ahead of time. Much time will be lost in getting through the checkpoints. These are logistics that will have to be considered across the region too.
Send feedback to barbara.ellington@gleanerjm.com.
