Ambassador Johnson Eulogised As Exceptional Man Of Integrity And Excellence

Late Ambassador, Hon. Anthony Johnson, OJ, was eulogised today (May 27) as an exceptional and extraordinary man of integrity and excellence, who was committed to the development of Jamaica.

He was remembered during an Official Memorial Service at the St. Augustine’s Chapel, Kingston College, 2A North Street in Kingston.

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen; and Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who read the first lesson, headed the dignitaries attending the memorial service.

Also in attendance were former Prime Minister, Bruce Golding; Minister of Transport and Mining, and Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party, Hon. Robert Montague; Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange; President of the Senate, Tom Tavares-Finson; Leader of Opposition Business, Anthony Hylton, who represented the Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding; Member of Parliament for St. Thomas Western, James Robertson, and members of Ambassador Johnson’s family and his alma mater, Kingston College.

Mr. Hylton read the second lesson, while the Ambassador’s granddaughter, Zoe Johnson, read the third lesson.

In remembering her father, Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, described him as a true Jamaican who believed that literacy and education were critical enablers.

“Daddy genuinely believed that everyone had potential that could be released by education. He believed that you should never believe that you are better than anybody else or be impressed by positions or titles. ‘There by the grace of God,’ he would say. No one does anything to be born into a particular family or circumstance and you also have no idea what people go through to be where there are,” she said.

Senator Johnson Smith said his spoken and unspoken lessons, the examples set by his work, his service and commitment to family, will continue to guide her.

His son, Alexander said his father developed an intense love for his country and its people, noting that his family shared husband and father with Jamaica. “Jamaica was a profound presence in our family, almost as if she was literally there,” he said.

He recalled that during Hurricane Gilbert (in 1988), while his family home was being impacted by the weather system, his father was concerned about the effects of the system on the farmers and the country.

Mr. Johnson said his father was an unending fountain of knowledge about Jamaica and about anything else.

“The one thing I ever asked him and he didn’t know the answer for was the meaning of the acronym SCUBA. I was about seven or eight at the time and I reminded him of that gap in his knowledge, all through my life and his,” he reminisced, adding that family, country and school were paramount for his dad.

Tributes were also offered by his children, Charmaine and Olivia; his grandchildren – which was read by his granddaughter, Makena; Mr. Montague; Kingston College and the Kingston College Old Boys’ Association, which was delivered by former President of the Kingston College Old Boys’ Association, Dr. Patrick Dallas.

Ambassador Johnson’s friend, Neville James, described him as a patriotic and outstanding Jamaican.

“He was a great Jamaican with an abiding concern for the welfare of his fellow Jamaicans and in particular the rural Jamaican,” he said.

Ambassador Johnson was a former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament, Senator, diplomat, economist, lecturer, author, journalist and Ambassador to the United States. He was also High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Finland, the Kingdoms of Sweden, Norway and Denmark and Ireland, and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS).

He was awarded the Order of Jamaica (OJ) in 2016 for his outstanding service and contribution to the nation.

Ambassador Johnson began his Parliamentary career in 1980 as a Senator and over the next 27 years served the people of Jamaica in both Houses of Parliament.

During his political career he served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, and Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate.

He made invaluable contributions to both the private and public sectors, as an educator lecturing at the University of the West Indies and his alma mater, Kingston College.

Ambassador Johnson died on April 28 at the age of 82. He is also survived by his wife of 51 years, Pamela.