Veteran journalist Wilmot Perkins dies at 80

Perkins never shy to express his views

BY PATRICK FOSTER Observer staff reporter fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com

Saturday, February 11, 2012

FROM the early 1960s the unmistakable voice of Wilmot 'Motty' Perkins graced the Jamaican airwaves with his controversial style as a talk show host. And at mid-morning, for decades, Jamaicans from all walks of life tuned in to hear Motty's opinions, his probing questions, infectious laughter or to voice their varied, pressing concerns. That will be no more.

Perkins, on February 10, having surpassed the alloted three-score-and-ten years, succumbed at home to illness a few minutes after 1:00 am at the age of 80. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Elaine, and grandsons Jamie and Eden.

Unafraid to speak out against what he deemed the ills in the society throughout his 50-odd-year talk show career, Perkins would often defend his statements and accusations of being negative with the profound questions -- "is it true, is it a fact?

"Fearless", "brilliant", "analytical" are adjectives that come easily in describing the veteran journalist who is noted for championing the cause of the dispossessed in the society.

Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, in offering condolence Friday, said that the passing of Perkins "has taken from us a powerful voice and an amazingly brilliant mind. His analytical skill, fearlessness, and willingness to stand alone, if necessary, to defend his beliefs and principles remain a template for not only journalists but, indeed, all Jamaicans".

Added Golding: "Motty was the people's defender, but he defended them without patronising them or giving in to populism. He opened the minds of many people to a process of reasoning that does not come naturally, but which is the only route to real understanding."

Interestingly, Golding was among the last of numerous politicians who bore the brunt of Perkins' harsh critisisms. Long before that, he took on former Prime Minister Michael Manley in caustic commentaries about the deleterious effect of the leader's actions and policies on the country, resulting in the inevitable lawsuit.

It is said that Perkins has been sued some 28 times for libel and/or slander, with none of the cases ending in a ruling against the fiery communicator.

The celebrated tenacity and wisdom of Perkins on radio began at the now defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) in 1959 or 1960, according to veteran journalist Keeble McFarlane.

"John Maxwell had started a weekly 15-minute analysis programme called The Week in Perspective on Saturday night, and Motty would fill in when Maxwell wasn't available," McFarlane, who also worked at JBC, wrote yesterday in a note to the Observer.

Perkins took short break from the airwaves a few years later, dabbling in farming, but returned to radio in the 1970s as host of JBC's popular call-in programme Public Eye. Over subsequent years he hosted Hot Line on RJR and then Straight Talk on KLAS FM 89, before doing Perkins On Line on Hot 102 FM.

In April 2002, he took Perkins On Line to Power 106 FM where he served as moderator up until shortly before his passing.

"Motty considered himself the watchdog on government, revelled in controversy, and was never shy about expressing his opinion," according to noted columnist Claude Robinson, who added that one was forced to admire Perkins' quality of intellect, whether you liked him or not.

Love him or hate him, Perkins and his talk shows struck a chord on Jamaican radio, providing almost guaranteed listenership -- a chunk of the population abhoring everything he said (so they tuned in to hear who he was criticising) while another set, revered every word from the astute presenter and wouldn't miss a broadcast.

(TOMORROW: More on Wilmot Perkins)

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COMMENTS (24)

Adam Godson
2/12/2012

@fallmouth. It's a matter of perspective.
People like you who are satisfied with the status quo will forever be of the opinion that nothing good ever happened in Jamaica,while others who believe that Jamaica had/has the potential to achieve true greatness,will be of the opinion that Mr Perkins was only pointing this out.And there are monuments to non-doers also. There are many things in Jamaica with the name manley attached ,for example.

Anthony Johnson
2/12/2012

Mutty was the best talk show host for me & I will miss him greatly. He opened our eyes to a lot of nastiness & corruption in Jamaica as well as the degradation of the Jamaican society during the 1990's & into the 2000s especially within the PNP ranks. I now feel I have no reason to tune onto the internet to hear what is happening in Jamaica again since the other radio host are all Pro PNP. I also want to say if you have nothing good to say about Mutty just SHUT UP. Woeful Wanda I am talking to u

Blindmice Blindmice
2/12/2012

Mr. Perkins was a brilliant and an excellent teacher; he wanted so much to enlighten the ordinary Jamaican citizens so much. However I believe that he never read Proverbs 17:12. RIP Mutty.

Adam Godson
2/11/2012

@ghost rider cont'd
(5)Educate me. What conditions in singapore would our culture not tolerate?
(6)What lie/lies did Mr Perkins tell often enough? At least one example would have been good. Surely it was not one of the 20 odd times he was unsuccessfully sued.
(7)I'm sure you and yours shed no tears at his passing , but unfortunately for you,the truth remains alive

Adam Godson
2/11/2012

@ghost rider
(1)What position are you in to know how much Mr Perkins earned?
(2)What business is it of yours what Mr Perkins or anybody earns in their capacity as a private citizen?He,unlike politicians,was not paid from the public's purse.
(3)Mr Perkins never represented himself as being among the poor and disenfranchised. That is simply untrue.
(4)How about Barbados?They're doing considerably better than we are. Is their culture and ours as far as east is to west?

fall mouth
2/11/2012

@A.G you have a non argument here but since you classify yourself among the thinkers I can understand. M.P. made us believe that nothing good ever happened in JA since Independence which was patently untrue. If you knew what obtained in the colonial days, you would know that this was a lie. I could outline the various strides we have made as a people but I don’t have the space to list them.
Motty became a powerful voice because even his detractors will agree that he had a remarkable intellect and he knew that if he made people believe that they were downtrodden because of exogenous forces then they would lap it up. In the process he made a name for himself and became a multi-millionaire.
I will wager though that in 20 years people will not remember who he was. People do not build monuments to critics; only doers.

ghost rider
2/11/2012

Many who worshipped at the shrine of M.P forget that during his time on radio he earned millions of dollars per year (much more than many of the politicians he despised) yet kept talking as if he were among the poor and disenfranchised. He was intellectually dishonest since he kept comparing the economies of JA and Singapore knowing full well that he was comparing apples to oranges since their culture and ours were as far as east is to west. No Jamaican was prepared to live under the conditions which made S/P rich, especially Perkins, but he kept plugging the line for ppl who wish to blame their poverty and misfortune on others since it made them less responsible for their condition. He believed that if a lie was repeated often enough it would be believed and he succeeded in that. I am sorry but I shed no tears for the man.

Dan cee
2/11/2012

Motty, what a man, what a journalist, what great contribution to the development of the human thought process. You will be missed.

Adam Godson
2/11/2012

@Bal Ance. Yes the 'non-thinking' persons are relieved.
Many disagreed with him,and accused,and still continue to accuse him of hating the pnp,but what i suspect made those who disliked him,was that they could never find anything untrue,or irrational about what he said.
The man was sued many times,and nothing came of any of those lawsuits.
The truth he spoke offended/offends many,but that speaks more about the offended than about Mr.Perkins.
He left many wondering and wandering.

Bal Ance
2/11/2012

I guess the "non-thinking" persons are relieved

diehardr sickheads
2/11/2012

I hear some people rejoicing you cant rejoice over over death

Noel Richards
2/11/2012

I will miss "Motty". I have been listening to his show through the Internet for more than six years. Mr. Perkins made me realize that Jamaica is still worth rescuing, that it should not be discarded by myself and others who have left. His message may have seemed negative to some, but there was more positivity in a few of his utterances than you will get from all the politicos, combined. He did not live to see what he has unknowingly initiated, that's a crying shame, but it's going to be big.

Anthony II
2/11/2012

God's speed! I will miss your flair for sarcasm and that snide laughter, mocking even as it is engaging. You were a good man, Motty P! RIP.

Orville Brown
2/11/2012

Brilliant, acerbic wit, penetrating analysis but still a latter-day colonial mourning for a paradise lost. His contempt for popular rule was palpable and he effectively mobilised the constituency of self-hate. He judged us by our worst, ignored our best and he is the prime reason why there is a majority of Jamaicans, unaware of 1938, who think that we would have been better off as dependents of Britain. As long our decline continues it wil appear that he was right, but he was ever so wrong

Tajai Grant
2/11/2012

Long live Motty, Jamaica has lost one of the greatest mind I have ever experienced. Motty is in a class by himself, second to none.

Dorreth Ramsay
2/11/2012

Your are my HERO Mutty....Jamaica has lost a Great and Brilliant Mind. Who will Fill the void you have left ? You were loved and you were hated, but you stood tall amongst all.
Be strong, Elain Perkins, God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in your time of mourning.

John Christian
2/11/2012

I had the personal joy and pleasure of knowing "mutty"..he has made his contribution to Jamaica's history...he will be remembered as fearless and fair...we are loosing our great minds..time for new minds to step forward...all will be well Elaine.

Donny S
2/11/2012

I'm really going to miss him. I used to listen to him quite frequently up in College Place, Washington. He was the only one talk-show host I'd listen to. He had the makings of a true journalist. RIP "Motty!"

Fabian Williams
2/11/2012

Mutty was a staunch defender of good governance and made the point daily that local politics was the main factor for underdevelopment in Jamaica. Was critical of the Jamaican left and the PNP and argued that their populist policies and programmes would not eradicate poverty. History has proven him right. The left would want us to believe he was unpatriotic. Yet he was one of the most nationalistic Jamaican I have known. RIP

larry smith
2/11/2012

he was the poor people gladiator, a champian to man.he taught me alot.now,that you are gone, go in peace wilmot.your caused was for seeing jamaica move forward.we will miss you.i tuned in to hear your propective almost everyday .but your legacy will not be forgotten.a bright star had been taken into the sunset.to your family that left behind weep now but take comfort in the fact that he has champianed his era.now who can fill that gap ,nobody....rest in peace w.' motty'perkins.now i wonder sela

nervous investor
2/11/2012

What a Man ! Where will we find a replacement for this National Treasure ? RIP Mutty.

wanda woeman
2/11/2012

There are a lot of Jamaicans who believed the Gospel was written by Perkins. He knew this and to my mind used this awesome gift and the power of the microphone to vent his hatred of certain ppl like the Manleys, PJP and the PNP in that order rather than offering solutions. It can't be that certain ppl are never right, no matter our biases.
To M.P truth and justice were very selective and I often thought before I shut him off permanently years ago that he waited to see what side of the argument the PNP would take before taking the other side. I await the anger and venom (if the Observer publishes) but my critics need to remember that even following MM’s death he himself was not prepared to be kind to him .
May his soul rest in peace.

Adam Godson
2/11/2012

Mr Perkins would often refer to people who lived to an old age as having had a "good innings".
You Mr Perkins had a good innings.
Only wished you could have made the century.
Walk good.

Adam Godson
2/11/2012

RIP Wilmot Perkins.
With respect to all other talk show hosts in Jamaica,Mr Perkins was the only one I made an effort to listen to.
Many people disagreed with,and might have even despised him,but I think most would agree that he always had Jamaica's and Jamaicans' best interest at heart.
You lived a good and purposeful life Mr Perkins.
Walk good,and condolences to Mrs. Perkins and family.

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Veteran journalist Wilmot Perkins dies at 80