On his deathbed, the late Rev Glen Archer is reported by relatives to have lamented to them that he was heartbroken at the apparently low level of response to the public appeal for assistance in his hour of greatest need.

This truly is an occasion for Jamaicans to heed the wise advice of our ancestors who instructed: “Tek sleep mark death.”

Rev Archer is best known for his decades of work in education, during which he is credited with preparing 23 national spelling bee champions over 26 years, as well as coaching three winning Schools’ Challenge Quiz teams while at the Ardenne High School, where he spent most of his working life.

The feather in his cap is most likely to be his coaching of the young Miss Jody-Ann Maxwell, who topped the US National Spelling Bee Championship in 1998, creating history in the process as the first non-American to win the competition. The event brought untold joy to Jamaicans and cemented Rev Archer in local hearts forever.

Rev Archer is also credited with conceptualising, though unsuccessfully, a Caribbean-wide spelling tournament that, had the idea been bought by potential sponsors, probably would have rivalled the US National Spelling Bee. It is an idea whose time might yet come and bring posthumous glory to an exemplary man and teacher.

Yet, none of that seemed to have been able to galvanise the kind of support one might be forgiven for expecting as Rev Archer battled kidney disease and had apparently run out of funds to afford the level of treatment needed to give him a chance at recovery.

The debate is always going to be what every Jamaican will face: whether Rev Archer made adequate provision for such eventualities as illness and whether he was entitled to the support of either his compatriots or the Government, or both. The issue gives rise to several very basic questions.

We find it curious that a man of the standing of Rev Glen Archer did not attract the outpouring of support that we have seen rolled out for many people of much lesser standing. Could it be that people find it hard to believe that someone as a Rev Archer could be in such need at his age? Or could it be that the appeal was not adequately communicated to the public?

Were people expecting that the State would have taken up the matter and provided Rev Archer with the necessary resources, so making it unnecessary for the public to contribute in greater measure?

This latter question is worth mulling over. We suspect that many of our readers, among them firm admirers of Rev Archer, will not agree that the Government should take it as its responsibility to fund citizens above a certain social stratum who fall in need similar to the Reverend gentleman. Otherwise the public coffers could be quickly overwhelmed.

We lean to the belief that this is a situation that would have best been handled by those who directly benefited from Rev Archer’s hard work and personal contribution: such as former spelling bee champions now in a position so to do; past students in a position to afford it; organisers of the spelling bee and schools’ challenge competitions; the education fraternity; church brethren and the like.

Any of us could find ourselves in Rev Archer’s position. After all, these illnessses which are costly to treat are no respecter of persons.