People who knew Mr Delano Franklyn in high school will tell you that, from those days, he exhibited a penchant for the social activism which propelled him into national leadership positions.

From those early days he also demonstrated an acute awareness of political developments and was undoubtedly influenced by the policies and programmes of then prime minister and People’s National Party (PNP) President Michael Manley.

It was no surprise, therefore, that he became a member of the party, eventually a senator, and a minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade from 2002 to 2007.

Mr Franklyn served as president of the the National Secondary Students’ Council while at Kingston College and after graduating became general secretary of the Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students.

At the then Mico Teachers’ College he headed the students’ association and, after enrolling at The University of the West Indies to pursue a degree in history and politics, was encouraged to run — and did so successfully — for vice-president of the Guild of Students in 1988. The following year he was elected president.

Over all that time he provided strong advocacy of students’ rights and it became clear that Mr Franklyn would eventually become an attorney. That he did, and after completing his law degree at Norman Manley Law School he co-founded the law firm Wilson and Franklyn in 1998, the same year he was appointed chief advisor to then Prime Minister P J Patterson.

Last Friday, when Mr Franklyn passed at age 63, Mr Patterson told this newspaper that he had, for some years, been observing the young attorney’s capacity and intent to contribute to nation-building.

Mr Patterson — who must have also taken note of the fact that Mr Franklyn was intellectually sharp, astute, and energetic — said he invited Mr Franklyn, in 1995, to lead the restoration of the National Youth Service (NYS). That programme was established in 1973 to equip young Jamaicans within the 17 – 24 age group with the skills to serve as entry level staff in public and private sector organisations.

Mr Patterson said that the “tremendous work” that Mr Franklyn did in rebuilding the NYS influenced his decision to appoint him as his chief of staff at Jamaica House.

He also alluded to Mr Franklyn’s appointment to the Upper House and as junior minister in the foreign ministry, where he was assigned lead responsibilities in particular sections of the foreign trade division, and was given the responsibility of coordinating and building the relationships between the Diaspora and Jamaica.

A measure of Mr Franklyn’s outstanding work is reflected in the flood of tributes from the Diaspora after his passing.

Outside of his professional engagements we found Mr Franklyn to be a most affable man who was never quick to anger, always encouraged rational debate, and ever willing to help others in time of need.

We are proud that during his time in media, as co-host of the morning news and current affairs show First Edition with venerable journalist Mr Cliff Hughes, he helped to lift journalistic standards.

We share Mr Hughes’ view that Mr Franklyn was “a deeply committed Jamaican who was passionate about the development of his country”.

Jamaica is the poorer for his passing.