On November 29, 2018 the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) as part of its ongoing programme of focusing attention on Jamaica’s parishes, hosted an event ‘Salute to the Parish of Hanover’. Jamaicaglobalonline now presents highlights in the form of edited versions of the Introduction by the Custos of the parish Dr David Stair which we have entitled IN PRAISE OF OUR HANOVER and the main presentation by Justice, Seymour Panton, Hanoverian and former President of the Court of Appeal which we have entitled MY GROWING UP YEARS IN HANOVER: A RETROSPECTIVE.
There was a presentation by students of the Green Island High School directed by Ms. Shauna Frozell Miller featuring the Etu dance form which is a distinct cultural feature of the parish of Hanover with strong retention from the Yoruba people West Africa.
MY GROWING UP YEARS IN HANOVER: A RETROSPECTIVE
BY
JUSTICE SEYMOUR PANTON
Former President of the Court of Appeal
I have decided to reminisce on a part of my early days in Hanover. Needless to say I am a very proud born and bred Hanoverian. My parents were living in Salt Spring, Green Island at the time of my birth. However, my mother had to go to her mother Agatha Lawrence in Blenheim for the delivery of her firstborn. Being born in a hospital was not an option then. Hence I ended up being born in the same district as our National Hero Rt. Excellent William Alexander Bustamante. Green Island was my home for the first fourteen years of my life, and then for the next four Wood Church, adjoining Blenheim, was my base after my dad (and later, my mother) migrated to England. My grandmother Agatha had moved from Blenheim to Wood Church where her oldest brother had bought some land.
I have very fond memories of life in Hanover. While in Green Island, it was so nice walking barefooted to and from the elementary school. We walked at the edge of the sea, playing with the flow of the tide and waves; in between the fishermen and their canoes. The criminals then were one or two, and all they did was steal fowls off their nightly roosts by lighting sulfur at the base of the trees. There was the occasional fist fights at a dance. And that was it. Murders were few and far between in the parish. Certainly Green Islanders never committed murder. Nowadays, we hear of murders in the parish but you can bet your last dollar that these murders are either committed by, or inspired by, intruders. Hanover is a very peaceful parish.
Incidentally, I never visited the parish capital, Lucea, until I was taking the entrance examination for Rusea’s. And better still, I never ventured outside the parish until I was 14 years old. There were only about three or four motor vehicles in Green Island, and only one bus passed through each day. If you missed it, that was it. Piped water in houses was a pipe dream. You were lucky if there was a pipe at your gate. But in all this we were very happy. Running water for us was that which ran in the rivers or streams in the area.
Holidays were spent using catapults to shoot birds. We fished in the streams, and we played marbles in the streets. We ran endless errands to the shops, and we were satisfied with the bread, buns and cakes baked at Mr. Grey’s bakery. The streets were swept every morning, and my dad who was a district constable kept the peace with only the sight of a baton. He was also the mail courier, and did this on a squeaky bicycle each day except Sunday. He was very poorly paid, but he never complained.
Lucea was a very peaceful town. It had clean streets and persons who took pride in their appearance. The clock in the centre of the town kept the right time. We did not know that the police had guns.
The parish was adorned with families that were looked on as models, although there was really no sign of them being wealthy. They held their heads up, and lived honestly. They were committed to giving their children a good education.
In my second year at Rusea’s, we were very privileged to receive the gift of an inspirational principal in the form of Mr Eric Lawson Frater. He transformed not only the school but the parish. We started to look outward. The school moved from just over one hundred students when he arrived to over five hundred when he left six years later. The school began to enter regional and national competitions. We copped the top award for cadets; won discuss and placed in shot put at champs; thrashed all the schools in the West in debating and so on. We had inspirational teachers. Gertrude Burke, Shirley Field Ridley, Mary Brathwaite, later Morgan, Lawrence Allan Eyre, the Choudarays, the Shukers, and so on.
We gave birth to persons who were destined for greatness. Carl Dundas who managed the troublesome elections of 1980 and later moved on to Caricom and the Commonwealth Secretariat; the Most Honourable Sir Kenneth Hall, who became a professor in the USA, was influential in Caricom, became principal of the Mona Campus of the UWI, and of course was our Governor-General. We should not forget people like Merlene Ottey who entered Rusea’s long after Mr Frater’s tenure. Of course, Merlene is spoken of by the uninformed as if she only went to Vere. At page 25 of the authorized biography of Merlene Ottey, penned by the late Claire Forrester with Alvin Campbell,it reads as follows:
“Merlene’s good deportment at Rusea’s led to her being appointed a Prefect during her final year”. The support for athletics at Rusea’s was not much then due to the fact that Rusea’s has never been a wealthy school, and we had no strong outside support. Merlene, in order to develop her talent, had to move on, and Vere Technical was the beneficiary. Merlene was fortunate that her maternal uncle, Samuel Bowen, was a senior teacher at Vere Technical.
There are many others who have left that institution and made a mark not only in this country but elsewhere. Dr Grantel Dundas, orthopaedic surgeon of note is one such person. Rev Oliver Daley one time moderator of the United Church is another. I could stay here all morning and the list would not end.
By the way, we developed a habit at Rusea’s of helping students who came from other schools and parishes. There were those who could not make it at their Kingston school, and we took them in. They became good boys and girls when they came to Rusea’s; not only good, we made them shine in the classroom as well as on the sporting field.
Of course, the times have moved on and whereas Rusea’s and Knockalva were the only post elementary institutions in the parish for a considerable time, now there are several other established secondary institutions…in Green Island, Hopewell, and there is of course the Merlene Ottey High School.
When I look at the physical state of Lucea today, my heart pains me. lt is so choked up, with drains and sidewalks badly in need of fixing. Lucea has not kept apace. The countryside around is so beautiful, but the heart of the town is physically in torment. I realize that part of Hanover’s problem is that development seems to only glance at it. Hanover gets something if there is something in it for St James or Westmoreland. So, a piece of road will be fixed if tourists are likely to be using it. Tourists are seen as being either in Montego Bay or Negril, the Westmoreland part of Negril. Things are done for Lucea only if Montego Bay and Negril are to benefit. The tourism people and the ignorant writers, project Round Hill hotel and Tryall Hotel as being in Montego Bay. When the Johnny Walker golf tournament was being held at Tryall, the world was told that Tryall was in Montego Bay. I strongly suspect that it is only because oil has not been found in the Dolphin Mountain why the same people have not said that the Dolphin Mountian is in Montego Bay. I am listening for it to be said one day that the Great River divides St James from St James.
I look forward to the day when a solid Hanoverian, preferably a Rusean, will make it to Gordon House. I cannot recall Hanover ever having a Cabinet Minister. lt is high time for there to be such a person who would no doubt help to lift the standing of the parish. I am sure there are bright, honest, hardworking, young Hanoverians who would add quality to the Cabinet of this country.
See Introduction by Custos of the parish Dr David Stair: IN PRAISE OF OUR HANOVER
