Dear Editor,

May I most heartedly commend your paper, and specifically your Associate Editor – Sunday Janice Budd on last Sunday’s comprehensive front page article on the true origin of our National Anthem.

The Sunday Observer has done a considerable service to the integrity of the Anthem’s history. I am by no means alone in regretting the lack of regard shown to the three main emblems that symbolise Jamaica’s nationhood, namely National Anthem, State Arms and National Flag.

There is little doubt that the distortion of the real authorship of the Anthem in the early summer of 1962 took place so as to give the impression that the creators of the words and music represented the two sides of the political fence (indirectly, in the case of the Rev Mr Sherlock).

The hard fact that another two quite apolitical Jamaicans had made such a major contribution to the creation of the national hymn seems to have been anathema to both the politicians and even certain civil servants 49 years ago — and indeed for many years after.

I should like to clarify my reported remarks regarding the Badge of Honour. These related to the inadequacy of that award under the particular circumstances, especially as several Jamaican musicians have been appointed Officers and even occasionally Commanders of the Order of Distinction, reasonably enough perhaps, but without making such a contribution to our official national heritage as did Mapletoft Poulle.

As regards respect for the Badge of Honour per se, no one has shown that more than I have. For years I persisted in recommending that Badge recipients should be allowed to place relevant letters after their names and eventually was successful in seeing Parliament formally approve this.

There is just one point only that I should like to correct; the Sunday Observer article refers to a possible faux pas in allowing acceptance at one point of lyrics by a member of ‘the white military regiment’. In fact, there was a national competition for the Anthem; the winning entry was entitled ‘Jamaicans Proud We Stand’ and recordings were officially released to the only two radio stations at that time, RJR and JBC.

Belatedly, the composer was only then identified as the British bandmaster of the then new West India Regiment Band, and of which all the bandsmen were West Indians. Understandably enough, the competition organisers felt that a more indigenous substitute was required — the rest is history.

Finally, may I take this opportunity, especially shortly before the commemoration of the first half-century of our National Independence, to deplore the sheer lack of respect for our three national emblems. The National Flag is by no means always displayed properly, being exhibited incorrectly in several ways, flown after dark without being illuminated and even flown when tattered and in severe need of replacement.

Desk-type flags are sometimes blatantly pushed aside because they ‘are in the way’ of something. I once attended a concert by an American orchestra at the Little Theatre in Kingston where US Embassy officials had correctly placed the Jamaican and US National Flags, with ours at stage right. To my absolute amazement an uncouth television crewman moved the Jamaican flag behind the wings and out of sight, because it was in his way!

The hoist to fly ratio of nearly all our National Flags seen in Jamaica, including those on government buildings, is incorrect, being 3:5 instead of the designated 1:2 ratio. The ‘bends’ of the saltire cross are usually much narrower than designated (a refreshing exception is the flag displayed in the governor-general’s study but regrettably seen by relatively few Jamaicans).

Use of the State Arms is restricted to permission granted by the Office of the Prime Minister, and by international norms is restricted to display only by government ministries and certain other government agencies. This was very carefully monitored when Mr Patterson was prime minister.

Immediately he retired (and I don’t mean just when there was a change of government), this fell apart. I have seen the Arms displayed on the calendars of commercial banks, on an arch in a private telecommunications company headquarters, and so on. A state arms is always the principal visual emblem of any nation, restricted in its display, but you’d never think so in Jamaica.

As for the Anthem, few civilians stand properly for it, with heels together; many don’t even stop moving if it is played in their presence. And do you know what? none of this disrespect applied in the late colonial days to God Save The King/Queen and the old Union Jack.

Yet among the worst offenders that I’ve seen are the trenchant so-called anti-imperialists. But cho man, is jus our ting, so it no matter too much!

Merrick Needham