Being a judge in this year’s GraceKennedy-Heather Little-White Household Worker of the Year Championships required a lot of Kleenex as they amazed us with stories of sacrifice. It was a proud moment for household workers last Tuesday. Two of them received chunks of cash to fulfil some of their dearest hopes.

The entrants were nominated by their employers who penned glowing reports. Finalists in the women’s category were: Muray Brown, Marcia Channer, Maureen Francis, Jennifer Godfrey, Ingrid Grant-Smith, Marcia Henry, and Ruby Tomlinson. The men’s finalists were Tremaine Cunningham, Esmond Daley and Okeito Johnson. As much as they are excellent workers, they are also dedicated parents. One entrant recounted that four of her five children were university graduates and successful professionals; the fifth is currently a medical student at The University of the West Indies (UWI).

It was a great field, but Grant-Smith and Cunningham emerged as emphatic winners. Social worker Evelyn Spence, who nominated Grant-Smith, explained that she would travel from St Ann to St James, taking care of two separate households for the family. When the Spence’s MoBay-based daughter had to give up her job due to ill health and returned to the family home in St Ann, Grant-Smith was so attentive that she regained much of her strength.

“It was she who drove me to Knutsford Express to come into Kingston for this interview,” she told us. “When the bus departed, I sent her a text that I was on my way and thanked her. She replied, ‘You deserve it! You deserve it!’ ” We were misty-eyed — all of us (Chairman Anthony Lawrence, social worker Frances Madden, chef Mazie Miller, household worker representative Millicent Clunis, and GK Foods executive Angella Grandison Reid).

Champion Grant-Smith was accompanied to the awards ceremony by her son who had just completed fifth form. When she gave her acceptance speech, she broke down, explaining that she could not find the funds to send her son to sixth form and gave God the glory for the windfall prize.

Men’s champion Cunningham, who was nominated by Michelle Gordon-Somers, is proud of his calling. He was trained in housekeeping by HEART Trust/National Training Agency and described to the judges his meticulous method of cleaning as well as his conservation practices. The responsible dad noted that he allocates precious time for his six-year-old daughter and, if required to work during those hours, he takes his daughter with him.

In a surprise announcement, GraceKennedy CEO Don Wehby said the $300,000 prizes and $100,000 education awards had been increased to $500,000 and $200,000, respectively. Our shop proposed this household workers award to GraceKennedy five years ago and not only was it immediately embraced by Senator Wehby and Simone Clarke-Cooper, but they expanded the plan, making this the most generous and elegant of such affirmation events under the supervision of Dionne Rhoden.

Guest speaker Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange reiterated her Government’s commitment to the enactment of the Decent Work Act and commended the Jamaica Household Workers Union, led by Shirley Pryce, for its efforts to protect the rights of these hard-working Jamaicans.

Congratulations to the winners and to those who took the time to nominate these previously unsung heroes.

Miss World as ambassador

Our shop has a no-beauty-contest policy as, in our earlier years, the formats of such contests promoted the objectification of women. Since then, beauty contests have evolved, promoting the talent and altruism of contestants, and cutting the bikini promenades. Miss Jamaica, now Miss World, Toni-Ann Singh was the emphatic winner because of this improved formula.

We usually channel-surf when watching such shows, but after Toni-Ann belted out the Whitney Houston favourite, I Have Nothing, we followed the programme with interest. Sure, we had the usual Hollywood-type cuties, but clearly they could not hold a candle to Miss Jamaica’s talent and her emotional, unrehearsed response to the Piers Morgan interview. Congratulations to her caring parents for nurturing such an excellent ambassador for our country.

Another media ‘winner’ was Miss World Nigeria 2019 Nyekachi Douglas, whose elated response to the announcement of Toni-Ann’s victory went viral. Indeed, someone commented, “We all need a Miss Nigeria in our lives.”

It was an inspired move to bring home Toni-Ann while the country was still high on her victory. We note the hiccups on her journey to the Miss World contest, but nevertheless commend the Miss Jamaica World franchise holders Weston Haughton and Dahlia Harris, who stepped up to the challenge after the untimely passing of Aston Cooke.

That lady, Shelly-Ann!

As we celebrate the champions, let us cheer on our beloved Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who was crowned the Best Female Athlete at the inaugural Panam Sports Awards earlier this month. After the birth of her son Shelly-Ann balanced motherhood and training to become the world’s fastest woman in the IAAF Doha World Championships.

After the recent award she posted on social media: “I decided I was ‘made for more’. Motherhood was never going to diminish what Shelly-Ann the athlete wanted to accomplish. To everyone who voted, thank you.”

Not one to rest on her laurels, Jamaica’s “Mommy Rocket” has announced that she will be revving up her training to go for the 200-m medal as well as the 100m in next year’s Tokyo Olympics. Mother, wife, athlete, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and UNICEF Goodwill ambassador, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the finest role model for her fellow Jamaican women.

Farewell, Dr Victor Chang

Former head of the The UWI’s English Department Dr Victor Chang passed away last week. A widely admired man of letters, he is mourned by family, friends and students. “Rest In Peace, my beloved Victor Lloyd Chang,” wrote Tanya Shirley on social media. “Thank you for being an exceptional lecturer and friend. When I started teaching at UWI you were extremely supportive and I will always be grateful. Over the years, you’ve made me laugh more times than I can even remember. You were witty, talented, generous, and a brilliant scholar.”

Dr Chang captured the essence of the “Chiney shop” in a piece he had written for Shade Magazine some years ago. We hope his life will be celebrated with more readings of his works. Rest in peace, dear Victor Chang.

Queen’s gold medal for Lorna Goodison

What a week for Jamaican accolades. Our Poet Laureate Lorna Goodison will receive the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry during an audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace next year. Lorna — who I am proud to call friend — has received many awards for her poetry and prose, including the Jamaica Musgrave Gold Medal, awards from the University of Michigan where she lectures, and the British Columbia National Award.

We were blessed to have Lorna Goodison on board as a writer for Carifesta 76. It was she who created the festival’s slogan, ‘People of the sun in all their glory’. Now she can enjoy some of that glory.

Blessed Christmas to all

There have been great reviews of the Christmas tree lighting ceremony by Mayor of Kingston Senator Delroy Williams at St William Grant Park on Thursday evening. The lovely lights at our churches, shopping centres, and several homes have lifted our spirits.

In a previous column I described these beautiful lights as exclamation signs for the greatest news to hit humanity’s headlines: The birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Let’s spread His love so more can enjoy a peaceful and blessed Christmas.

lowriechin@aim.com

www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com