Dear Editor,

The passing of Beverley Sinclair, former editorial manager at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), though heart-rending, is another harsh reminder that death is always lurking and we must be prepared for one of life’s certain frailties.

I had been planning an appreciation get-together for a colleague who was moving on, and our former manager should have played an integral part in the celebration, only to get the devastating news that this gentle giant in the media fraternity had left us.

In many aspects of life, we constantly witness the term “greatness” being ascribed to many leaders without them living up to the true measure of the word. But my late manager exhibited her greatness by being fair and respectful to all, and whenever things were uneasy on my part, Sinclair was there to shoulder those burdens, even though she was experiencing her own anguish.

During the height of the COVID-19 disruptions, when we had to communicate mainly via telephone and electronic devices, no mater what time of the day the call came, it was always a joy to hear her, even when I was getting a scolding. Our conversations were unending, and when she left JIS we got even closer.

I worked with her for just over one year, but it seemed like a decade. She was a woman of strength and dignity, with great motivating skills. Throughout the time that she was my immediate supervisor, she was more than a boss, and through wisdom she showed kindness, provided mentorship, and inspired courage.

The loss of a boss, friend, and motivator like Sinclair is something that is difficult to regain, and while her stint with us was short, it was timely for me personally, and it impacted my development immensely.

To her immediate family, and all who regard her as their extended family member, while the weight of this loss undoubtedly bears heavily on your hearts, this tumultuous season will in time give rise to happy days. Just as the cold of night breaks for daylight, we know that grief, too, will give way to shining rays of warm memories of our Beverley Sinclair.

Garfield L Angus

garfieldangus@gmail.com