Bonner (centre), surrounded by his wife Adassa, Member of Parliament Gregory Mair (left) and other community members, prepares to blow out the candles on his birthday cake at his 100th birthday party in Cheesefield, St Catherine recently. (Photo:Lionel Rookwood)

THE biblical principle of "honouring thy mother and father so that thy days may be long upon the land", is one reason Centenarian Rupert Bonner attributes to his long life.
"I believe this is one of the chief things that has kept me alive for so long," Bonner told the Observer recently at his 100th birthday celebration.

Dozens of residents in his Cheesefield community in St Catherine gathered to celebrate the century mark with the former district constable of the Linstead Police Station, described by many as someone the younger generation should emulate.

Eight-year-old Ashley-Ann Lawrence of the York Street Primary, who recited an original poem for Bonner, summed it up beautifully in the words which among other things asked, "me haffi wonder how the parents a grow them pickney nowadays".

Lawrence said she strongly believes that in Bonner's day parents raised their children better and she wanted to see that happen in her generation.

Comparing the earlier days to now, Bonner said the violence in today's society is the fulfilment of scriptures which warned that these days would be filled with violence.

He, however, has a wish for the younger generation to become more loving, and words of wisdom for the police force which he said was nothing like what existed in his time.
"According to my knowledge, the police force nowadays is out of hand because some of the officers are themselves lawless," Bonner said.

Samuel 'Ludey' Brown, a 56-year-old resident said Bonner is Cheesefield's hero as he was an exemplary district constable who would keep the young men in the community in line.

"No wonder his birthday fall on Heroes' Day because me call him a hero," he said.

Brown said Bonner was a man who was well respected even by the wrongdoers.

He recalls him riding his bicycle carrying a flashlight dubbed 'concord' which caused him to miss nothing.
"As young boys we were fussy and jumpy but we knew that we better look out for him," he said.

Recalling one incident, Brown said Bonner would attend a regular Friday night dance in the community each week just to make sure everyone was kept in line.

"Him use to come and find himself into one corner with his flashlight long like me hand and when him turn on that it bright like the Concord plane weh used to come here," he said.

A man who sought to disrupt the dance with a bottle-throwing incident had to beat a hasty retreat when Bonner started chasing him.

"Usain Bolt was a boy to Bonner that night when him tek off after Henry and before we know it him ah carry him back into bangles," he said.

Adassa Bonner said her husband of 34 years is a very strict disciplinarian who loves God and loves to sing and pray.
Meanwhile, the centenarian who still has a vivid memory, recalls his teen years growing up in Bryan District, Rock River, Clarendon where his mother sent him to learn trade with a tailor who would never teach him how to cut.

"He would cut at nights when I gone home but me with me little brain would pull out what him cut overnight and use me tape measure fi measure it up and is so me learn," he said.
Member of Parliament Gregory Mair, who organised the birthday celebrations, said it is little things like these that makes the difference in communities.

"We have been so side-tracked with everything being materialistic and we forget that it is little things that make a difference," he told the Observer.

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