Quick to smile and laugh, the late Mr Gibbs Williams, vice-principal of GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, fitness trainer, cricket administrator, and coach, exuded warmth, kind-heartedness, and empathy.

Indeed, anyone who has ever interacted with Mr Williams knows that colleagues, friends, associates, admirers who paid tribute after his murder late last week couldn’t have spoken truer words.

Almost without exception they hailed not just his professional competence but very personal aspects which, we believe, provided indispensable building blocks for professional success.

“He was a good and decent human being, and a gentleman at heart,” said Mr Wavell Hinds, former West Indies cricketer and president of the cricketers’ union, West Indies Players’ Association.

Another former West Indies player, Mr Nikita Miller, described Mr Williams as “a nice person, a nice human being, always there to help you…”

Mr Terrence Corke, coach of the Jamaica Under-19s, who was joined by Mr Williams as team manager as the young Jamaicans triumphed in regional red and white ball cricket in July/August, spoke of a man “who is always having a laugh, a very jovial person, but he was serious about his work…”

Barbadian Mr Rohan Nurse, who was head coach of a recent West Indies youth tour to Sri Lanka alongside Mr Williams as manager, spoke of the latter’s “ability to bring people together. He commanded respect with his demeanour and his approach… someone who had a vision for [cricket] in the West Indies … always willing to put the players first… He created an environment where the players could blossom and improve”.

Mr Robert Haynes, former Jamaica captain, coach, and West Indies all-rounder and lead selector for West Indies Men’s U-19 Rising Stars, said Mr Williams “… earned respect … because he showed respect to everyone”.

Not just individuals but entities such as GC Foster College, Cricket West Indies, and Jamaica Cricket Association spoke of a man who had a passion for helping others, especially the young.

It’s possible we will never know what led to Mr Williams’ death at the hands of someone consumed by evil.

The chilling reality, though, is that he was just one of more than 1,000 people murdered in Jamaica since January, which means that statistically this country remains a very unsafe place.

We would be betraying those who have fallen victim to evil should we give up. All Jamaicans and their leaders must come together as one to overcome criminals.

We take heart from a British woman, who lost her husband to a gun-toting thug a decade ago.

She returned to witness the man who killed her husband sentenced to life behind bars. Her testimonial in defence of this country is stirring.

Said the widow: “… I have lived here, on and off, for 35 years, and Jamaica is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever experienced in my life. The people are exceptionally nice, helpful, and accommodating. They’ve stereotyped Jamaica, making people believe that everybody is unapproachable, that the justice system doesn’t exist, but I am an example. I fought for justice for my husband for 10 years, and I had no intention of giving up because I believe in the justice system in Jamaica …”

We must not fail her.