Minister Falconer Hails Ken Jones as PR ‘Titan’

STATEMENT BY SENATOR THE HON. SANDREA FALCONER, MINISTER WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMATION IN THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER,

ON THE PASSING OF KEN JONES

Jamaica has lost one of its finest communications/public relations practitioners and journalists with the passing of Ken Jones, on Thursday, July 1. His passing marks the end of an era, as he was the last of the triad of public relations titans who founded Jamaica’s first full service public relations company, Public Relations Associates; the other two being Desmond Henry and Ralston Smith.

In his accomplishment-filled, multi-faceted career, Ken Jones has been reporter, publisher, editor, photographer, columnist, author, company founder and public relations practitioner. He has served both the private and public media and was the first Jamaica Information Service (JIS) producer and presenter in the 1960s.

He later went on to become Executive Director of the JIS for four years in the 1980s.  Between 1984 and 1990 he served in the Foreign Service as Information Attaché in the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, D.C. as well as Community Relations Director for North America, based at the consulate in New York. Between 2008 and 2009 he was Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister.

A committed nationalist with a keen, unquenchable interest in public affairs, he continued writing up to a few months ago. Ken Jones had  a passion for research and could always be depended on to unearth little-known , even counter-intuitive information.  He was a diligent journalist who was an example to media colleagues of professionalism, rigour and civility. He was a gentle soul, gracious and affable.

He loved Jamaican history and was a deep, abiding believer in  the awesome potential of the Jamaican people. His books on National Heroes, the Rt. Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey and Sir Alexander Bustamante as well as Lady Bustamante demonstrated his unflinching interest in heightening Jamaicans’ appreciation of their history and the struggles for nationhood and dignity.  It was no surprise that he was one of the Friends of Liberty Hall during the period of its restoration.

A rounded person, he also had strong interest in sports and actually began his journalistic career as a sportswriter for the Jamaica Daily Express  68 years ago. He also served on  the first  Executive of the Jamaica Football Federation . Ken Jones was an ardent believer in voluntarism and active citizenry and was no armchair journalist. That was why he was founding President of the Harbour View Citizens Association and an active member of the Buxton High School Past Students Association.

We have lost a fine patriot, public relations practitioner and journalist. Our condolences go out to his children Jennifer, Peter and Suzanne as well as to other members of his family and his large circle of friends and journalistic and public relations/communications colleagues.