Norman Manley Hailed as Unselfish Nation Builder

National Hero, the Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley was yesterday (June 29), hailed as an unselfish nation builder, by Senior Lecturer at the United Theological College of the West Indies, Dr. Hyacinth Boothe.
Delivering the sermon at a service held at the Wesley Methodist Church in Porus, Manchester, to commemorate the 115th anniversary of the birth of the National Hero, Dr. Boothe said that N.W Manley believed that the masses had the will to strive towards economic and political independence and set out to give leadership to achieve that end.
“Nationhood leading towards self Government was the passion of Norman Manley, and 70 years ago, he set out on the path of that mission. Today we honour him, as he had accomplished the mission of political independence. But 70 years on, we are reaping the repercussion of hatred, violence, and divisiveness in the society; all these the man Jamaica designated as National Hero stood against. I believe that all our National Heroes would urge this nation to put away pride, arrogance and to acknowledge the mistakes of the past, and for Jamaica’s sake, work towards the politics of peace, so that under God we may fulfill the dream of our ancestors who, despite their mistakes, would not have wanted to see us engage in destructive pastimes,” Dr. Boothe noted.
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the Custos of Manchester, Dr. Gilbert Allen, Chairman of the Manchester Cultural Development Committee (MCDC), Homer Brodie encouraged members of the audience to emulate the standards set by the late National Hero.
“As we celebrate his life, let us be mindful always of the examples he set and his love for country. In building lasting legacy, he acquainted himself with the plight of his people, and championed the cause of the poor. He is remembered mostly for the time he spent advocating on behalf of the Jamaican people at great personal sacrifice. This is something that everyone should emulate as we try to keep his dream alive,” Mr. Brodie said.