One always expects eloquence from Jamaica’s first woman Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn. However, she went beyond expectations last Saturday to deliver a master class as her acceptance speech for the St Andrew Business and Professional Women’s Club Mavis Watts Award. She explained her journey to self-realisation, beginning with the example of her parents Clinton and Mavis Llewellyn whose insistence on diligence and excellence propelled their children to the heights of their professions. Paula’s sister Diane Llewellyn-Nicholson followed in her beloved mother’s footsteps and is an award-winning nurse based in the US.

LLewellyn regaled us with childhood stories of Saturday mornings when her dad would get them out of bed to help mow the lawn and her mother would do all in her power to ensure they would not miss a day of school. She told us, “She was a nurse, so if we got sick, she would dose us up and made sure we got to school!” Her dad’s response when she asked him to teach her to drive was, “When you learn to wash the car, then you can drive it.” She laughed, “Needless to say, it was my mom who taught us to drive.”

“Then the work ethic!” said DPP Llewellyn. “My mother used to say – and she was a nurse – ‘When you can work hard, nobody can use hard work to frighten you.’ When you have other people saying ‘rock-a-bye baby’ … when they were rocking their baby, my mother would say, ‘Get your profession,’ ” Her mother emphasised that “when you can get your education and certify yourself, you have your independence and nobody can mess with you”. She appealed to the audience to do likewise with the young people in their charge.

Quoting from Bible verses, she underlined the perfect match between faith and good works and the fearlessness instilled in her by her father. She acknowledged that “the slings and arrows in public life are sharp”, particularly in a patriarchal society, and that the lived values of her parents have sustained her in her fight for justice.

Llewellyn noted that her daughter Leah was only 10 years old when she was appointed DPP and thanked her for her patience when the demands of her work were overwhelming. However, it was clear that she gave Leah every opportunity in music, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Indeed, it was Leah’s academic achievements and outstanding record in tennis that won her a scholarship to an exclusive high school in Virginia and later a scholarship to Purdue University. Embracing her mother’s work ethic, she graduated recently with two degrees: a BA in Law and Society with a minor in English and Spanish as well as a BSc in Cybersecurity. Llewellyn noted that being a strict mother paid off because after two months at boarding school her daughter called to thank her for preparing her for the challenges she was facing.

Ever available to the media, Llewellyn speaks with such authority and understanding, giving her Jamaican people assurance that she and her dedicated team at the Office of the DPP will be tireless in pursuing lawbreakers without fear or favour. She recalls accompanying a father whose daughter was murdered to the crime scene in Westmoreland, where the child’s body had been found. When the murderer was brought to justice, the family hugged and thanked her.

On a Cabinet scholarship, Llewellyn studied public sector management, and her management style has earned her kudos from her team members. Sharon Millwood-Moore, senior deputy director of public prosecutions thanked her “for always confidently encouraging your team to feel free – even to outshine the director!” Senior Deputy Director Jeremy C Taylor commented, “She has been strategic, transformative, and blessed with incredible foresight. She has taken us from …24 prosecutors in 2008 to 58 in 2023… successfully overseeing the renovation and refurbishing of our office building.”

The St Andrew Business and Professional Women’s Club’s citation for the Mavis Watts Award praised DPP Llewellyn “for her contribution as a trailblazer and a fearless professional”. The citation presented by President Dr Lilieth Nelson noted, “Ms Llewellyn has over 30 years’ experience as a criminal law litigator and pioneered the prosecution of the first cases involving DNA and cell site data analysis in Jamaica.”

The citation noted Llewellyn’s successes at St Hugh’s High School, The University of the West Indies Faculty of Law, and her work as an associate tutor at the Norman Manley Law School.

The citation informed, “Following Ms Llewellyn’s 2008 appointment as director of public prosecutions, she gained the Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) designation and was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Commander) from the Government of Jamaica in May and August 2008, respectively. In November 2008 she received the Civil Service Long Service Medal for 25 years in the public service.”

We are blessed to have a woman of DPP Llewellyn’s brilliance and fortitude doing her utmost to bring justice to her people. Our heartiest congratulations to her on this well-deserved honour.

Fighting HIV discrimination

We thank Maxine Brown for sharing information on a well-needed campaign to fight against the stigma and discrimination being faced by people living with and affected by HIV. The Champions for Change campaign being implemented by the Enabling Environment and Human Rights (EEHR) Unit in the National Family Planning Board (NFPB) has gained the support of three respected influencers: Donna Parchment Brown, mediator, advocate, attorney-at-law; Dimario Mcdowell, creative director, event promoter, strategic marketer and musician; and Dr Mario Evon Guthrie, currently a casualty officer in the Accident & Emergency Department of the Bustamante Hospital for Children as well as in general practice.

Maxine Brown writes, “Dr Lovette Byfield, executive director, NFPB shared the findings from the 2020 People Living with HIV Stigma Index, a survey conducted in 2019 by the Jamaica Network of Seropositives to document the lived experiences pertaining to HIV-related stigma and discrimination. The survey respondents were 509 people living with HIV.

“Among the findings reported, participants experienced gossip, discriminatory remarks, and verbal harassment. More than half reported that their HIV status made them feel guilty, ashamed, worthless, and/or dirty.”

We wish the multi-media campaign every success so that our fellow Jamaicans can be allowed to live and work without this unjust burden of discrimination.

Sports excitement

We have been caught up in the quality performances at our National Trials and anticipate a strong presence at the World Games in Budapest, Hungary. Shericka Jackson took our breath away with her world-leading 10.65 seconds in the 100m event, while Rohan Watson made himself a new headliner with his 9.91 seconds 100m sprint. Jamaica Observer reporter Paul Reid wrote, “Both athletes are from the MVP Track and Field Club, which accounts for four of the seven athletes who will represent Jamaica at the World Championships.”

We appreciate Tissanna Hickling’s fighting spirit. She got the nod for the long jump after countering the judges’ disqualification. The heartbreak was the false start by Yohan Blake in the 100m semis. He should console himself with the gold he won for Jamaica at the Daegu World Championships after Usain Bolt’s only false start in a major athletic event. Just before the deadline for this column we learnt that Blake won his semi-final heat for the 200m as well as our darling of the track Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the women’s event.

Meanwhile, our netball Sunshine Girls have triumphed in the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Games, taking the gold after their 50-36 defeat of Trinidad and Tobago in San Salvador.

Our Reggae Girlz, training in Amsterdam for the Australia-New Zealand World Cup later this month, are still struggling to raise funds despite a generous grant from Fifa to all World Cup qualifiers. It is a puzzle that we hope our media colleagues can help us to solve.

CCCD lauds graduates

The Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf (CCCD) recently conducted graduation ceremonies for students in Kingston and Knockpatrick, Manchester, lauding the 18 bright young people who successfully sat the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. The valedictorians for Knockpatrick were Ricardo Mahabier and Chrakeinya Clarke, while Sheneill Rhule emerged top student and valedictorian for Kingston.

CCCD Board Chair Carol Robertson congratulated the graduates on their achievements and encouraged them to continue their higher education. With a vision “to reach, teach, and nurture the deaf of Jamaica”, CCCD has three campuses, the third being in Montego Bay where the students are enrolled in HEART/NSTA Trust programmes.

Jean Lowrie-Chin is executive chair of PROComm and CCRP. Send comment to

www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com.