JOHN MAXWELL is dead. It just doesn’t sound right or real. Let’s try it again. John Maxwell has passed. Still doesn’t sound right. And I’m not given to self-denial.

It’s going to take me, and a lot of other journalists, I’m sure, a very long time to accept this news. Nearly every journalist under 65 years of age, and that’s the vast majority, has grown up under the shadow of this icon who taught us not to fear the truth.

John William Maxwell, if anyone, was born with that infernal ink in his blood. He entered journalism in 1952, on the eve of Independence. About that time, Jamaica was ablaze with talk of political Independence. Jamaicans had caught a vision of their own becoming leaders in their own land and charting their own destiny.

In the years leading up to the event, Maxwell had been fully consumed in reporting Jamaica to itself. He had lived a very eventful life as an ace reporter. And he was not yet 30. With the dawn of Independence, a new Jamaica would emerge. Maxwell had a ringside seat as this new history was about to unfold. It would be a time of change and challenge, but he was determined he would not be a mere spectator to that change. Marshalling all the experiences he had garnered, his pen sharpened, poised and at the ready, Maxwell fixed his gaze firmly towards the uncharted waters of the new Jamaica.

It would be foolhardy to attempt in the few column inches afforded The Spike to do a comprehensive bio on John. That will come later. His is a story that may never be fully told. For sure, he has witnessed and influenced the changing fortunes of our profession thus far. And in his passing, he has left his indelible trademark, for good or bad, on the future of journalism.

But it would not be Spike if I did not try to correct my own errors in yesterday’s Observer for saying he started his journalistic odyssey in 1959, when it was, in fact, January 1952. Neither can one mention John without reference to his passionate fight for the integrity of the environment.

So how will future men speak John Maxwell’s name? Will they remember him for the unyielding commitment to personal integrity and the iron will that faced down prime ministers and men of the high order?

Or will he be known for a lifetime of devotion to a penniless craft whose only nobility might be that it watches fiercely over democracy and free expression? He was never able to retire because he couldn’t afford to. Will they say that he gave hope to thousands of powerless, shamelessly exploited domestic helpers by inspiring a national minimum wage? Surely, they won’t forget his feistiness and aggression in the pursuit of his own truths. It really won’t matter what they say. What is important is that they will speak the name of this John William Maxwell.

From Spike’s e-mail bag

Let me share some of the letters responding to my last column “If we could do this to a colleague…”

Hi Desmond, welcome back to the journalistic hustings! I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. For the record, my newspaper, the Western Mirror ran the story on the journalist who was shot but did not carry his name nor any other information that could have easily led to his identity. That was our editorial decision.

In the meantime, I worry like you about the all-pervasive “professional jealousy” that plagues the profession at this time. I was particularly pleased that both the Observer Chairman Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and the Gleaner Chairman/Managing Director Oliver Clarke submitted congratulatory messages to the Mirror on its 30th anniversary. Except your good self, no other media practitioner has explored the story behind the Mirror and its relative success as a community newspaper. We “bad mind” fe true!

Lloyd B Smith gov_mobay@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Desmond, I’m in full agreement with the points you raised in The Spike of Wednesday, December 1. I was stunned that we could have reported that story in the way we did. You also made an interesting point though about “professional jealously” and it’s a sad reality of our profession.

I do hope the current PAJ administration can in fact address some of these matters.

Lynford Simpson lynfordsimpson@yahoo.com

Dear Mr Allen, I was wondering why I haven’t seen any article from you in awhile; welcome back and I enjoyed and learned a few important lessons from the article.

Shelley Ann Murphy shellyann.murphy@gmail.com

Dear Spike, u guys should be ashamed to call urselves JOURNALIST, i have been readin both papers online and i am yet to read a article that was throughly researched with information that is worthwhile and aggressive follow up. it seems to me that whatever training u”all got was left at the institution or u”ll got ur jobs by whom u know, or some illicit connections, i bet my last dollar that none of the so called acclaimed journalist in jamaica would could land a job in any of the international news organisation, no, not with this shameful mediocrity.come on MAN JAMAICA deserve better.

Kirk Barrett tterabbkik@yahoo.com

Hi Desmond, I totally agree with your recent column in the Observer about how irresponsible some of your colleagues are, in reporting violent crime etc.

I think it was in the Observer (on-line) I first read of the story in question and perhaps I heard it on a Power 106 newsflash (on-line). On both occasions neither the individual, nor his place of employment, was named. So, I was flabbergasted to find out from your column that he was identified, elsewhere in the media!!!

It’s so OBVIOUS that this kind of ridiculous reporting is largely to be blamed for much of the excessive level of violent crime in Jamaica. NO ”informer” wants to be singled out. Worse, the criminal is not likely to be imprisoned nor executed by the state. Thus the life of the ”informer” will always be in jeopardy.

Thanks for such a timely reminder Desmond. Hopefully, those erring journalists will take heed.

Royston. Royom2000@yahoo.com

Dear Spike, isn’t it strange that you can find time to comment on a colleague who was shot, but nary a word about one who was allegedly abused and threatened by a government minister? I think you are garbage, you and your newspaper, but I guess you know that already. George Watson watteverg@hotmail.com

Send comments to The Spike at desal@cwjamaica.com

Desmond Allen, aka The Spike, a 37-year veteran of journalism, is a former president of the Press Association of Jamaica and founding general secretary of the regional Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM). For more Spike columns, visit www.desmondthespikeallen.com