It’s common, even fashionable, for Jamaicans to ‘cuss’ politicians.

In large measure, politicians have themselves to blame, since apart from their own missteps, many are all too quick to indulge in the ‘blame game’, to castigate and denigrate opponents, often for no good reason.

One who was rarely the subject of public denigration was the late Mr Derrick Rochester, a former president of the National Workers’ Union (NWU) who also served five terms as Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth South Eastern from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1989 to 2002.

Readers will no doubt be aware that Mr Rochester died at his home in Bull Savannah, south-east St Elizabeth on April 9 at age 76, having ailed for several months.

As a trade unionist, Mr Rochester was extremely successful, moving up the ranks of the NWU from worker delegate in the bauxite/alumina industry to island supervisor and president of his union.

Rated as a skilled negotiator, Mr Rochester is said to have had the distinction of securing an initial 100 per cent increase for workers in the bauxite/alumina industry, followed by an 80 per cent increase. For his trade union work alone, Mr Rochester would have earned lasting recognition.

But this newspaper expects that it will be for his years as an elected official representing the St Elizabeth South Eastern constituency on the People’s National Party’s ticket that Mr Rochester will most readily be remembered.

Many enter politics not just for the drive to serve but also because of burning personal ambition, for the power and glory, which come with an eventual Cabinet post. The available evidence suggests that was never the aim for Mr Rochester.

Those who knew him from the earliest days say he was always bent on representing in the best way possible the interests of the people in St Elizabeth South Eastern. Not just some, not just Comrades, but all his people.

That explains the comment from Mr Michael Manley, having just returned to the post of prime minister in 1989, that while Mr Rochester was more than qualified and deserving of a Cabinet post he had asked to be allowed to remain free to better serve his constituency and the workers of Jamaica .

None today dare question Mr Rochester’s role as community builder in south-east St Elizabeth in terms of roads, a rainwater catchment programme, electrification, education and housing, et al. He recognised the value of community organisation, hence the building of community centres.

It seems fair to say that no community owed as much to Mr Rochester as does Junction. Recognising the need to fill the demand for skilled crafts and tradesmen at the Alpart alumina plant at nearby Nain, Mr Rochester established the trade training centre in Junction which now bears his name. And as Junction rapidly grew there came the need for a medical centre. Mr Rochester donated land and led the drive to raise funds to make it happen.

As current MP for St Elizabeth South Eastern Mr Frank Witter has sensibly pointed out, Mr Rochester’s example is one to emulate.

This newspaper wishes to convey condolences to Mr Rochester’s widow, the esteemed Mrs Beryl Rochester and the wider family. They will come to terms with Mr Rochester’s passing knowing that above all else, he served his people well.