Diaspora-based nat’l honour recipients promise to continue building nation

Jamaicans in the diaspora who have been named among the 141 individuals bestowed with national honours yesterday reacted with pride while committing to continuing the work that has garnered them recognition from the country of their birth.

Alsion Wilson, Jamaica’s consul general to New York, and Jamaican-American businesswoman Dr Trisha Bailey are among the list of at least six noted members of the diaspora who have been appointed by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen on the advice of Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, to the Orders of the Societies of Honour with effect from Independence Day.

Both Bailey and Wilson join the Order of Distinction in the rank of commander (CD).

Others from the diaspora receiving national honours are Dennis Hawthorne, Dr Trevor Dixon, George Willie and Dr Maurice Miles, each of whom has been made a member of the Order of Distinction in the rank of officer (OD).

LIST OF RECIPIENTS

The list of recipients was made public yesterday by the Chancery of the Orders of the Societies of Honours in the Office of the Prime Minister. They will be invested with their various honour on National Heroes Day in October during a ceremony to take place on the lawns of King’s House in St Andrew.

Bailey has been awarded for her contributions in entrepreneurship, philanthropy and community service.

Wilson receives membership in the CD for contribution to national development in the social and economic sectors, particularly in the areas of education, technology and healthcare capacity building.

Hawthorne, who heads Dennis Shipping, the largest Jamaican-owned shipping company out of the diaspora with outlets in Brooklyn, Florida and London, joins the OD in recognition of his services to the Jamaican diaspora, philanthropy and community development

Dr Trevor Dixon, founder of Jah Jah Foundation, which carries out medical missions to Jamaica, received membership in the OD for his contribution to healthcare and education through the Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home Foundation (Jah Jah).

Dr Maurice Miles, a dentist out of Maryland, gets his OD for service to dental care and other charitable causes in Jamaica.

George Willie, who heads a major Jamaican-owned accounting firm in Washington, DC, and who is active in many charitable causes put on by the Jamaican Embassy in Washington DC, received membership in the OD for his contribution to education and other charitable causes in Jamaica and the diaspora. Willie also sits on the board of the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI).

Bailey, reacting to her national honour, told The Gleaner that it is beyond anything she could have ever imagined as a little girl walking barefoot through the hills of Jamaica.

“Born and raised in the rural mountainous terrains of Woodland, St Elizabeth, where opportunities were scarce and dreams were expected to stay just that, dreams, to have been awarded this highest honour from my beloved country, Jamaica, is beyond anything I could have imagined,” she said.

A DEDICATION TO THE HARD-WORKING

Pointing out that she comes from a place in Jamaica where resilience was the foundation, faith was the currency and hard work the only option, to now stand recognised by the very nation that shaped her is “overwhelming in the most beautiful way”.

“This award is not just mine. I receive it on behalf of every Jamaican who has been told that their dreams are too bold, too big, too impossible. I dedicate it to the people who are pushing boundaries, smashing glass ceilings and refusing to be defined by their circumstances,” she said.

She vowed to carry the honour with pride and to open even more doors for those coming after her.

Wilson said she was deeply humbled and profoundly grateful to join the CD.

“This recognition is not mine alone but a reflection of the incredible people I have had the privilege to serve and work alongside, both at home and abroad,” she told The Gleaner. “It strengthens my commitment to continue working tirelessly for the advancement of our nation and the upliftment of our people.”

Wilson extended heartfelt thanks to her colleagues, the community and her family who supported her to make the journey possible.

“I pledge to honour this distinction through dedicated service to Jamaica,” she said.

Dixon, stating that he was he was truly honoured by the recognition, said he accepted the award on behalf of all the volunteers, supporters and sponsors who have made Jah Jah Foundation and its mission possible.

“There is still work to be done assisting Jamaica’s health care system and, hopefully, the powers that be will join with us to make a better Jamaica for all,” he said.

editorial@gleanerjm.com