Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee - On a journey to greatness

By Robert Lalah

Now, there are times in a man's life when he can feel, let's say, less than adequate. The occasion for such feelings might involve a misbegotten amorous escapade, or pulling up to a red light in a squeaking jalopy while the guy next to you fiddles with the radio in his Mercedes. But such moments, thankfully, are usually fleeting and can, with any luck, be overcome without too much hassle. This kind of luck is what you count on when you meet people like Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee. Without it, you could easily be forgiven for sinking into deep depression, convinced you've wasted your life.

He's well known in Jamaica and other parts of the world for being extraordinarily bright. Listing all his achievements would require more editorial space than I have to spare, so we'll stick to the Cliff Notes version. His academic journey gained momentum while he attended St George's College, hit high gear while he was studying earth sciences at the University of the West Indies, and went stratospheric when he became a student of the acclaimed Oxford University in England. But he didn't simply attend Oxford. He achieved a DPhil/PhD in Geography, in record time - two and a half years - when he was only 23 years old.

"There was nothing noble about it. I didn't set out to do it quickly. I just wanted to finish up so I could come back home," said Lyew-Ayee, dismissively. He and I were having lunch in New Kingston and I was becoming more alarmed by his humility with each passing second. "The atmosphere was very grey, very dreary. All I was thinking about was coming home," he said.

That sort of response is characteristic of Lyew-Ayee, and it's somewhat ironic. A man who could be excused for bragging about his smarts and his accolades, having worked hard for them all, doesn't like spending time on the subject. In fact, he still hasn't got comfortable with people calling him 'doctor'.

"I really don't like it," he said, shaking his head. "I beg people, people who work with me and the students I interact with, not to call me 'doctor'. It makes me uncomfortable, even today. I would much rather people just call me Parris."

valuable work

He said the title meant little to him and that the work he did to achieve the doctorate is what he considers valuable. "When I'm around my peers, and someone calls me 'doctor', sometimes there's an immediate shift in how people deal with me," he said.

While many people would relish the opportunity to enjoy the social spoils such a shift might allow them, Lyew-Ayee sees things differently. "My family, and perhaps my grandfather, in particular, really drilled it into me from an early age. He would say, 'Look here, you are not better that anybody'. Plus, I hate when people act one way with some persons and another with others. I get very upset when I see that happening and, depending on where we are, I might just walk out if I see that happening," he said.

His grandfather wasn't alone in keeping him grounded all these years. His father, himself a highly regarded geologist, his mother and brother don't spend a lot of energy coddling him. Even though, at five years old, he was reading National Geographic magazines for fun, his family has never allowed him to feel superior to others. To them, he's just Parris. And he likes that. "I'm happiest at home with my family and dog. I don't go out a lot. When I'm at home alone or with my family, that's when I'm most comfortable and at ease."

mentally energetic

What you quickly realise about Lyew-Ayee is that he's mentally energetic. His mind works quickly and he can switch between topics with remarkable agility. I wondered, silently, as he was sharing some thoughts on US foreign policy, if he is in fact just wired differently from the rest of us. How can he be 33 years old and already have had a doctorate for a decade? The answer to that question eludes me. But what I do know is that Lyew-Ayee is highly driven. And when he makes a goal, he fully intends to achieve it. "I hate the word 'should'. We like to talk about we 'should' do this, or the Government 'should' do that. That's a waste of time. The power is in the action we take, not the desire," he said.

"I'm extremely competitive. Very competitive. That pushes me a lot. Plus, I don't forget criticisms very easily. When someone criticises me, I find it difficult to forget it. That also helps to motivate me," he said. He's also very strategic in how he approaches life. As he wraps up the first decade of having his doctorate, Lyew-Ayee is plotting his moves for the next 10 years.

2014 Eisenhower Fellowship

Among his many posts, Lyew-Ayee is director of the Mona Geoinformatics Institute, and a big part of his plans for the next decade involve achieving further growth for that company. He was awarded the 2014 Eisenhower Fellowship which allowed him to travel across the US for several weeks having consultations with experts and senior officials in government, industry, academia, the arts and the not-for profit sector. It gave him the opportunity to learn a lot and also to interact with other fellows from around the world. What he came back with, was a desire to encourage a more global view of matters in Jamaica.

"Our thinking can be too parochial at times. When you look outside of what you see directly in front of you, you begin to see new opportunities, new ideas. That's the kind of thinking I would love us to engage in here in Jamaica," he said.

The Eisenhower Fellowship gave him renewed energy to grow his company and to make some new contributions to the many boards he sits on. He said he's done with studying now and is looking to broaden his interests, perhaps putting greater focus on entrepreneurial pursuits.

Where he will be in 10 years is a mystery to him, but what the rest of us can safely assume is that Parris Lyew-Ayee's journey to greatness is only beginning.