Portlander to be honoured for 42 years of public service

MOUNT PLEASANT, Portland: Portland is best known for its frequent rainfall, lush, green vegetation, rivers, beaches and outstanding achievers.

The community of Mount Pleasant, located approximately nine kilometres west of Port Antonio, boasts a true achiever, a son of the Portland soil, a dedicated and committed Jamaican in Victor Aniel Brown.

Brown, who hails from the humble farming community, is among the outstanding Jamaicans who will be honoured at the National Honours Awards and Ceremony at King's House on Heroes Day, Monday, October 18.

no regrets

After serving more than 42 years in the public sector, he said he has "no regrets".

Born in Mount Pleasant, he attended the Mount Pleasant Elementary School, and was considered "very bright" by his colleagues.

"Back in those years, they had the Jamaican local exams, which consisted of seven to eight subjects. You had to pass them all in one sitting. I did the first, second and third year," he explained.

His first job was with the Customs Department in Kingston, where he spent six months as a custom guard. He returned to Portland and joined the Health Department, signalling the beginning of a fulfilling and rewarding career in the field of public health.

Brown said that his first career choice was to become an accountant or a police officer. However, in public health, he was taken up with the social aspects of the job, as he interacted with people, households and communities.

He attended the West Indies School of Public Health at the University of Technology and the University of the West Indies where he obtained a diploma in community health.

several posts

Working in Kingston, Portland and St Thomas, his career in public health spanned numerous positions, including, inspector of meat and food, superintendent of sanitation, supervisor of public health inspectors, and contact investigator.

"When you work in the public health field, it gives you a sense of pride, especially when it is your duty to ensure that food is safe for human consumption, the environment is clean and persons choose safe and healthy lifestyles," he stated.

His most challenging responsibility came in the mid 1980s with the onset of the HIV/AIDS disease, as a member of the pioneering team of contact investigators.

"In those days, the entire community was in panic once rumour gets around that a resident is HIV positive. It was also a challenge in the health service, as some workers were uncomfortable attending to infected persons,"he said.

- JIS