MALVERN, St Elizabeth — Laughter erupted during last Sunday’s official funeral service, as Maurice Rochester told how seemingly biting criticism of his uncle, Derrick Rochester, turned out to be rich compliment.

According to Maurice Rochester, who is based overseas, he braced himself for the worst when he was told by a member of the Junction community that “all these potholes …is your uncle fault you know”.

With a sense of trepidation, Maurice Rochester asked “How is that?”

To which the critic replied: “If he (Derrick Rochester) never pave these roads in the first place, we wouldn’t have any potholes.”

Consistently described as one of the more effective constituency representatives in modern Jamaican politics, Derrick Rochester, who died on April 9 at age 76, represented St Elizabeth South Eastern over five terms, spread through 1972 to 1980 and 1989 to 2002. Fondly referred to by locals as ‘Daddy D’, he is credited with transforming the infrastructural landscape through his leadership and representation.

Projects credited to Rochester include the Bellevue Housing Scheme; the HEART skills training centre in Junction which now bears his name; a primary care medical centre to which he donated land; major road upgrading; 12 community centres; six libraries; four post offices; electrification of most of St Elizabeth South Eastern; and the building of 1000 rainwater catchment tanks for the drought-stricken constituency.

A former president and island supervisor of the National Workers Union, Rochester had an enviable reputation for his negotiating skills, especially in the bauxite/alumina sector. He was also a businessman, managing a food-processing plant in his native Bull Savannah.

Family members gave small insights to the private world of the celebrated MP and trade unionist at the official thanksgiving service, held at the Richard B Roper Auditorium, Munro College, on May 1.

Nephew, David Williams described his ‘Uncle Derrick’ as the “family patriarch” and the “glue that bind the family together”.

Maurice Rochester, who delivered the remembrance said that his uncle was “a figure that was larger than life” and “a very domineering personality… when you needed to go and speak to Uncle … you had to take a nice, deep breath before you did…”

Family members agreed that for Derrick Rochester, family was very important, and he made a special effort to share his wisdom and advice.

But, just as was the case for others who paid tribute at the Official funeral service, family members held a central theme. Above all else, they said, Derrick Rochester was devoted to serving people — the people of South East St Elizabeth and the workers of Jamaica through trade unionism and his role as legislator.

Maurice Rochester told how he once asked his uncle why he had chosen the People’s National Party (PNP) as the vehicle for his political representation. Derrick Rochester promptly replied: “Because ‘people’ is in the name (PNP), and politics is about improving the lives of people.”

That drive to serve people was the rationale for his uncle’s achievements as political representative and trade unionist, said Maurice Rochester. “There were reasons, the people were the reasons,” he said.

“My uncle didn’t pave roads just to say we had paved roads. He understood that good roads were vital to the development of an area, moving goods and services were vital,” he said.

The decision to build a medical centre which serves primary health care needs in Junction and beyond, a trade training centre, community centres, among many other advancements, were motivated by the same reasons.

“My uncle donated the land for the medical centre, made sure it was bipartisan, made sure both (political) parties were represented on the planning committee. He travelled back and forth to England, meeting with respective committees to raise funds for that centre,” recalled Maurice Rochester.

The illness of Derrick Rochester’s father and the struggles to get him to and from the doctor further concretised in the mind of the young MP, the need for a health centre to serve the Junction community.

The skills training trade centre at the heart of Junction was motivated by the MP’s recognition that the majority of skilled workers at the Alpart plant were outside of the constituency of St Elizabeth South Eastern.

“My uncle took the idea of the skills training centre to the authorities and he was told we didn’t need one in our area because there was already one in Manchester. My uncle had the audacity to go ahead and start construction on that centre with volunteer work. My uncle was exemplary at getting the people to understand that it is in your best interest to support yourself. So a lot of that work was volunteer work. A lot of people, without being paid, would come in on weekends to do voluntary work. So we can go back now and look at that trade training centre, how many mechanics, welders, plumbers, garment makers, have been able to come out of that centre and create a life for themselves, self sufficient, self determined, not depending on government. My uncle was about hand ups, not hand outs…,” said Maurice Rochester.

Former Prime Ministers PJ Patterson and Portia Simpson Miller were among those paying rich tribute to Rochester at the service attended by a host of dignitaries including Governor General Sir Patrick Allen — who did the First Reading — and a host of representatives from across the political divide. Minister Without Portfolio, Derrick Smith read the first lesson representing Prime Minister, Andrew Holness.

Patterson, whose message was read in his absence by Manchester North West MP Mikael Phillips, recalled that apart from his numerous contributions to his constituency and trade unionism, Rochester was a very effective legislator. Rochester, said Patterson, served on “every committee in parliament” that was responsible for developing a raft of labour-related and socially uplifting laws in the 1970s.

Patterson recalled that at his instruction, during a period of tension between communities and bauxite companies in the 1990s, Rochester led the organisation of 13 community councils in bauxite areas. These, said the former prime minister “went a far way in stabilising company, community relations”.

Such was Rochester ‘s commitment to workers and the people of his constituency, he declined a cabinet post in 1989, Patterson recalled.

Simpson Miller described Rochester as being “endowed with a soul of compassion and a spirit of generosity”. Rochester , she said, routinely thought of others. “He did not believe in pulling up the ladder of opportunity behind him,” she said.

A recipient of several awards including the Order of Jamaica, Rochester was married to Beryl Rochester, Custos of St Elizabeth.