Letter of the Day | Edwin Jones dedicated himself for betterment of Ja

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I was deeply saddened to get the news that we had lost Edwin Jones, one of the great servants of Jamaica, and a beloved friend and mentor. I first met Edwin nearly 30 years ago when I was a budding young academic, fresh off the boat from Oxford.

Edwin took me and my young family under his wing and made us feel welcome and wanted in our new home. A consummate host, wonderfully generous, and with seemingly boundless warmth and patience, he helped instil a great sense of public service in us all.

He was one of the generations that set out to make a triumph of Jamaica’s independence, showing that the young nation could stand tall in the world. To that end, he dedicated himself to the creation and constant upgrading of the young country’s civil service.

He never wavered in his love of his country, a homeland he was proud to share with others, persuading me to turn what was meant to be a short tenure into a long one, ultimately showing up at the office one day with an application for naturalisation. Jamaica has lost a great son, but his legacy will live on. He will be fondly remembered, and I will ever be grateful for the gift it was to have known him.

JOHN RAPLEY

University of Cambridge