In celebration of Jamaica’s 48th anniversary of independence, The Atlanta Jamaican Association Inc. (AJA) in collaboration with the AJ Cultural and Education Fund, will host its annual gala event - The Jamaica Independence Ball and Scholarship Awards. Read More>> ........Buy Tickets>>>

Good night KC Old Boys and Guests!

Thank you for your kind invitation. I am honoured to be here tonight to speak about a topic that is near and dear to my heart.

I am particularly grateful to Glen Laman for that wonderful introduction. He is, without a doubt, one of Jamaica’s’ finest who goes way beyond the call of duty to promote the interest of the KCOBs, Jamaica and the entire Diaspora.

The first time I saw him, I told my wife: “That guy over there looks as if he could be my brother” I had to go over and introduce myself. We have been friends ever since. But Glen is everybody’s friend. Ladies and Gentlemen, let's show our appreciation for your friend and mine, Mr. Glen Laman.

Yesterday, I read the following in the KCOB Newsletter about one of your famous alumni, Principal of the Norman Manley School of Law and Rhodes Scholar, Mr. Stephen Vasciannie: “But unlike most of us who studied abroad, Vasciannie eschewed the lure of financial security and comfort of America and returned to his native land.”

When he was asked why he choose to return to Jamaica?, he said: “I responded to the pull of my roots. Partly because it's home: I needed to find out whether it was true that you can never return home. But, perhaps more importantly, I had never seen myself as a migrant while I was away; I had always wanted to live in Jamaica and to make my contribution here. So I returned home when I believed the time was opportune.”

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I see sand rocks the ocean the river

Jamaica ah waan mello place

Cone shaped mountains

Round mountains valleys gullies

Jamaica hab nuff up ah dung

Bauxite waste seeping to its red river

Markets the farmers meeting place

Jamaica mix up lacka mash callalloo

Shacks mansions faith houses

Ah suh Jamaica ress

The unruly the great the ill the happy

Jamaica hab good ah bad

The school where rote was my first love

Children holding hands

The spot where innocence was robbed

Whitewashed mounds of loved ones

Jamaica wi mek yuh siddung wid yuh han ah yuh jaw

Naked feet against trodden path

A crooked road touched by the swift visit of a mongoose

A meager dog walking aimlessly

A cat pulling the towel from covered food

A lizard romancing the walls of my house

Ah suh Jamaica luv tek risk

A rat dashing through a cane field

A rooster chasing a hen

A pig rolling in mud

A fowl scratching the earth

Jamaica full ah nuff fun

People conversing

A cockroach approaching

Trus mi Jamaica show up when yuh least expect it

The sun in recess

The moon spreads its face

Stars huddle against the dark sky

Jamaica ah waan romantic island

Handcarts the bobsled fancy

Robots the transportation champions

Dreadlocks-do the crowning glory

Coffee the Blue Mountain queen

Escovitch fish

Drums filled with billowing smoke

The home of Jerk cuisine

The legacies again and again

Yes! Jamaica name gaan ah brawd

I hear the tantalizing reggae beat

The electric slide song the anthem of the dance

Bway! Jamaica lickle but it tallawah

The deafening bray of a donkey

The snickering neigh of a horse

Jamaica tek gossip causen seh if it nuh goh suh it near goh suh

I see the go-go dance of the lightning

I hear the applause from the thunder

I feel the wind whistle against my ear

The rain hitting me again and again

Jamaica will tek any beaten

I smell a careless fume of forbidden grass

I feel the hot and cold spring waking my lazy bones

The healing from the land

Jamaica wi put back life enah yuh

I hear serve me one round of Appleton

Red stripe… whites… dragon… aerated water

One cup of fish tea manish water

Cow cod soup

Mh! Jamaica food ah bevrige wi mek yuh dip ah fall back

I taste one serve-mi-lang

I hear one sky juice

I taste one toto

I hear no problem man

I taste one suck-suck

I hear irie

I taste one busta

I hear mine yu jawbone

I see side walk transformed into bend-down plaza

I hear cool runnings

I see hottie hottie

I hear cuh de

Man! Jamaica unique noh paradise plum

I taste the ackee fruit decorated with saltfish

I smell the lignum vitae flower

I touch a mahoe tree

I see a doctor bird

I see a flag of black, green and gold

I hear out of many one people

I hear Eternal Father Bless our Land

Tenk Gad fi mi Jamaica

Tah-tah! Do not destroy. Speak the truth. Live and love.