Letter of the Day | Our people are the strength of our legacy

THE EDITOR, Madam:

We have some national treasures that we should never take for granted. Jamaica has one of the richest and most adorable cultures on planet Earth. Our people from this beautiful isle are standard-bearers of excellence and they are embraced and emulated the world over. They stand out for varied reasons – a natural part of our fierce drive to be the best in whatsoever we do.

We have the likes of National Hero Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Bob Marley, Dr Thomas Lecky, Monsignor Gladstone Wilson, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, Merlene Ottey, Michael McCallum, Dr Usain Bolt, Herbert McKenley, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Elaine Thompson-Herah.

These treasures are some of the best we have produced and we are exceedingly proud of their exploits. These are our folk heroes and heroines and truly some of the greatest of our citizenry. We are indebted to them for their more than comely depiction of our people.

Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley were black nationalists who sounded the alarm against inequality and injustice, and made a fervent call for peaceful resolutions not only against the black race but for all people desirous of such.

Dr Thomas Lecky stood out as an integral part of nation-building in the breeding of a variety of cattle like the Jamaican Hope, Jamaican Black, and the Jamaican Red Poll. He established his site at Bodles in St Catherine where he did remarkable things.

Monsignor Gladstone Wilson was an academic who was one of the pioneers in showcasing our worth in the world of academia and was once regarded as the brightest man on planet Earth in the 1940-50s.

Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart used his wealth in the tourist industry and other businesses for the betterment and transformation of a wide cross section of the Jamaican populace.

VAST TALENT BASE IN ATHLETICS

Then there is our vast talent base in sports.

Merlene Ottey is a woman of substance who has been a critical part of our female exploits in the early days and is still the most decorated Sportswoman of the Year. She was a former world record holder of the 300m. The first woman to run the 60m below seven seconds and still the world record holder of the indoors 200m with a fantastic time of 21.87 from 1993, and is still the only female to run the 200m indoors below 20 seconds.

Mike McCallum was the WBA and IBF Middleweight Champion in boxing and is still the most decorated Sportsman of the Year.

Dr Usain St Leo Bolt stands tall as a supposed to be mortal. He has times that once thought only possible in video games, of 9.58 in the 100m and 19.19 in the 200m. What an amazing character!

A pioneer in our legacy is none other than Herbert McKenley, a former 100m, 200m, and 440 yards world record holder in 1952, but was also a fantastic 400m runner. He was also a great administrator who protected the wherewithal of his alma mater, Calabar High School.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, an affable and loving Jamaican, has the skills and techniques to win medals in the 100m at four Olympic Games, including two straight golds in her first two Olympic games.

Elaine Thompson-Herah won gold medals in both the 100m and the 200m at back-to-back Olympics. She has since run the fastest times for a living female athlete – the 100m in 10.54 and 200m in 21.53.

PARIS TAYLOR