PORT MARIA, St Mary — Hundreds of Jamaicans gathered at the Port Maria Seventh-day Adventist Church in St Mary on Sunday to pay tribute to the life and work of late executive director of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Dr Delroy Gordon.

In a service that lasted approximately four hours, Dr Gordon was remembered as a proud Jamaican nation builder, a man of the community, a family man and friend, and a principled man of God.In a video message, Minister of Culture, Gender Affairs, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange said Dr Gordon showed dedication, commitment, love, and a spirit of patriotism and loyalty to his country through his work at JCDC.“Let us give thanks for the time that Delroy Gordon spent with us on earth and let us ensure that we carry on his work. We cherish his memories and we will always remember his work, and we will always give God thanks for giving him to us,” she said.JCDC Commissioner Mexine Bisasor, in a tribute on behalf of JCDC Chairman Hugh Nash, said that Dr Gordon had a passion for culture.She said it was his commitment to nation-building that led him to serve the JCDC for three decades. She noted that Dr Gordon was a true professional and the board could always rely on his cultural expertise and leadership skills.“The strategic direction taken by the commission over the last decade can be accredited to his leadership and vision, which could only be achieved through the symbiotic relationship that he shared with the board of governance during his tenure,” she added.She said, too, that Dr Gordon cared deeply for his staff, and his passing had left the commission “a place of emptiness, shock and dismay”.Minister of National Security and Member of Parliament for St Mary Western Robert Montague remembered Dr Gordon as a “simple country man who made good and who still held his community close to his heart”.He said Dr Gordon was dedicated to his wife and daughter.Members of Dr Gordon’s church community also hailed his inspiring work in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he served as youth leader and an elder for many years.There were also poetic tributes from staff members of the JCDC, Elizabeth Smith and Gregory Simms, as well as musical tributes from Erica Lumsden, Georganne Thomas, Sister Pat, Lubert Levy, and Kevin Downswell.Others paying tribute were playwright Aston Cooke, the JCDC’s Andrew Brodber and actress Karen Harriot-Wilson.Among those present was Member of Parliament for St Mary Central Dr Morais Guy. — JIS