THIS year’s recipients of the nation’s fourth-highest honour — the Order of Jamaica (OJ) — say they are humbled, honoured and appreciative that they have been bestowed with this august award for their dedicated work and distinguished service to the nation.

They expressed hope that their award will be an inspiration for others to follow their path of giving back to the nation, which can be very fulfilling and rewarding.

The eight honorees were officially presented with their awards during the Ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards at National Indoor Sports Centre in St Andrew on Monday — National Heroes’ Day.

They were among a total of 232 exceptional Jamaicans who were recognised for their contribution to nation-building.

One of the newest members of the Order of Jamaica, psychiatrist and therapist Professor Wendel Abel, who was recognised for outstanding and invaluable contribution to psychiatry, particularly in the area of mental and community health, told the Jamaica Observer that part of his core values and beliefs is that service to country is the greatest honour.

“I really want to thank everybody who has helped me along my journey, but also to dedicate this to all of Jamaica, especially the hard-working Jamaicans,” said Professor Abel, who was previously conferred with the Order of Distinction, Officer Class (OD).

Also speaking to the joys and challenges of service to the nation, Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang said it has been “a long hard road” but he appreciates the journey.

“Recognition, to me, is maybe more valuable than compensation. It has had some rewarding moments. Public service, once you choose it, you have to be prepared for the rough and tough of it, but overall I think there have been more satisfaction than challenges,” he said.

Dr Chang, who was recognised for outstanding contribution to public service and politics, including more than 31 years of representational politics and 22 years as a Government minister, said that there are lots of opportunities to do good service in Jamaica as an evolving society.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to get all you want to get done, but when it gets done it can be very satisfying. I would do some things a bit differently, but I have no regrets and I would do it again if given the opportunity,” he said.

For his Cabinet colleague, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, the award, though appreciated, was unexpected “because you don’t work for these kinds of recognition”.

Bartlett, who was honoured for invaluable contribution to the field of tourism, promoting human resource sustainability and climate resilience and for 40 years in the public service, including over 38 years of representational politics and 21 years as a Government minister, said his reward has been in the “utils of satisfaction” that he gets from transforming the lives of people in the constituencies he has served.

On a lighter note, former Custos of Clarendon William “Billy” Shagoury told the Observer, with a chuckle: “It’s good to be recognised especially when you work hard. You don’t want to die before they recognise you; you prefer to be recognised while you’re alive.

“So, I am so happy that they did, and I want to thank the nation, the prime minister, governor general, and the people for the work that they helped me to do for me to get the award, because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to get the award; they really helped me.”

Also inserting a humorous perspective on the accolade, well-known businessman Gary “Butch” Hendrickson said his award for sterling contributions to entrepreneurship and philanthropy is “a hell of an honour… it’s a big deal.”

“I wasn’t sure if I deserved it when I was told. I’m still not sure, but I promise you one thing: I’ll try to live up to it,” he said, with a glint of resoluteness in his eyes.

Hendrickson, who, too, is a previous CD recipient, is chairman and the chief executive officer of Continental Baking Company Limited.

Audrey Marks, Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, was recognised for her outstanding service to the Government and people of Jamaica and her contribution to economic development through entrepreneurship in pioneering Jamaica’s electronic bill payment industry, and for the promotion of social development enterprises, as well as diplomatic representation, and nation-building.

“I feel honoured to have received this award and I feel grateful to receive not only for myself, but for all the persons who have supported me along the journey — teams of people both in the private sector with my various entrepreneurial endeavours and now in the public sector,” she said.

Factories Corporation of Jamaica Chairman Lyttleton “Tanny” Shirley, who was recognised for his sterling contribution to the public and private sectors, told the Observer that while he feels “very humbled, very excited, very appreciative that I’ve been given this very high honour”, the work continues.

Government Senator and businessman Donald “Don” Wehby, who was recognised for his sterling contribution to business and entrepreneurship, was the only recipient who was not present to accept his award. His daughter, Stephanie, accepted the award on his behalf.

Wehby, who is chief executive officer of the GraceKennedy Group, had announced earlier this month that he was taking a temporary leave of absence from his duties for health reasons.