KINGSTON, Jamaica — “A stern and disciplined man”, was how Minister of National Security and chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Robert Montague, described the late parliamentarian Dudley Roy McKenzie, today.

Montague was delivering the tribute to McKenley, a brother of the late track icon Herb McKenley and a former member of the House of Representatives for the JLP, at his funeral service at the Webster Memorial Church in Kingston.

Montague praised McKenley’s contribution to both the party and its trade union affiliate, the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU).

“Everybody called him uncle, because of his discipline and his principled positions. But, he was really a gentle giant,” Montague added.

He said that McKenley always insisted on his colleagues tackling the issue of the misfortune of retired parliamentarians, as well as that of pension and health benefits for unionised workers.

“He was my adviser [on Local Government] up to 2011, when he retired from government service” said Montague, who handled the Local Government portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister during the JLP’s 2007/2011 administration.

He pointed out that McKenley, a former male nurse at the Bellevue Hospital in Kingston, was drafted into the BITU by late National Hero, Sir Alexander Bustamante, and rose to rank of assistant island supervisor of the union.

McKenley won the South Central Clarendon seat in 1967, and served the next five years under then Prime Minister Hugh Shearer’s leadership. He next ran in 1980, and won the South Western Clarendon constituency in the JLP’s massive 51-9 win, and remained in Parliament for another nine years under the leadership of then Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

He died on Saturday, July 16, at his home in Stony Hill at the age of 91.

Balford Henry