MONTEGO BAY, St James – Dr Una Tomlinson-Clarke, the first Caribbean Councilwoman of the 40th District, Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday urged Jamaicans to return to their original roots in the effort to restore the nation’s social and psychological health.

The exhortation, delivered in a public lecture at the St James Parish Library, was made in the context of Clarke’s experience as an educator, politician, mother and grandmother, after living in the US for 50 years since leaving Jamaica, where she was born in the parish of St Elizabeth.

“Jamaica must uphold her own values, her own mission and she must play her role in the world.

“You can’t be an American and a Jamaican at the same time. That’s why I’m against any naturalised American who comes home and tries to run for public office… because you have to give something up to get something,” she said.

Put on by Hands Across Jamaica, a Christian organisation committed to facilitating the realisation of the values outlined in Jamaica’s pledge and national anthem, the lecture was attended by students, business leaders, church leaders and members of the general public.

They were exposed to a line-up of speakers who stressed the importance of the family unit in the endeavour to build wholesome nations.

“The right way on how to run a family is to recognise the father as the leader of the house,” said Dr Eva Seboi of South Africa, pointing at the same time to the equal importance of the roles of mother and father in the family.

Meanwhile, Dr Yvonne Coke, founder of Hands Across Jamaica, pointed to the need for families to open their doors to the less fortunate and extend meaningful forms of assistance.

“That is why over 200 boys at Kingston College were able to experience the success they did with passes of 100 per cent in the CAPE and CSEC examinations because Dr Patrick Barrett believed in Hands Across Jamaica enough to help. he made his office available and went back to KC and started a mentorship programme that’s why,” she said.