IT wasn’t an evening for speeches. But given that PJ Patterson was celebrating his 90th birthday he was allowed to say a few words, and while expressing gratitude for the event the former prime minister accentuated the diverse mix of guests.

“Thank you all for coming, your presence here symbolises the unity which, at this time, we need, not only in our nation, but in the Caribbean region and the developing world to which we belong,” Patterson said to applause.

Politicians from both sides of the divide, including Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, current Government ministers, Opposition Leader and People’s National Party President Mark Golding, his predecessor Dr Peter Phillips, Opposition legislators, business leaders, academics, former Caribbean leaders, and Ambassador Nick Perry, who recently ended his tour of duty as the United States’ top diplomat in Jamaica, were among the guests who turned up at the PJ Patterson Institute for African-Caribbean Advocacy on The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona campus Saturday evening to celebrate with Patterson.

That the list was long and impressive didn’t escape Patterson, who revealed that he had nothing to do with the planning of the event. He was just ordered to be present.

“I’m obliged to say something by way of an expression of thanks,” he said after cutting his birthday cake with three of his grandchildren — Breanna, Gabrielle, and Andrew.

“If I were to do it in a protocol order, we would be here all night in light of the very distinguished gathering which you constitute. So I will simply say family and friends, and everyone here falls within one of those two categories.”

However, Jamaica’s sixth prime minister and the man who holds the record of serving in that office the longest — 1992 to 2006 — shared that he is the second Jamaican head of Government to have ascended to the rank of nonagenarian.

“The other is none other than our first prime minister, the Right Excellent Alexander Bustamante and there is a thread, which most of you know because I speak about it very often, it is not by accident that we come, both of us, from the same parish, Hanover, and we go further, we come from the same community…and we go further in that his principal was my maternal grandfather,” Patterson said.

“So William James has produced two prime ministers who have reached this age, and it also is the case that until now, when you combine our years of service, he and I are the two longest [serving] prime ministers to date, to date,” he emphasised, eliciting laughter.

Patterson then revealed that The UWI has a plan for the area where the function was being held.

“The vice chancellor and the principal of the Mona campus have authorised me to say, the intention is to convert this entire area into a cultural heritage park, but more of that anon,” he told guests.

Then, before moving with a small group to a section of the property where a Barrington Watson mural of 17 pan-African legends was unveiled, Patterson delivered one of his trademark quips.

“Looking around, I see people who have shared the journey with me from the very beginning. 
There are people now singing Frank Sinatra’s
My Way not remembering that the song begins, ‘the end is near’. I am not in any hurry to face the end,” he assured, triggering more laughter.

Before the formalities, Patterson and his guests watched video vignettes with birthday greetings from his family, Caribbean leaders, and friends, among them Sheryl Lee Ralph, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Courtney Walsh, and Donna Scott Mottley.

Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson cuts his 90th birthday cake on Saturday with three of his grandchildren — Andrew, Gabrielle (second right) and Breanna at his birthday celebration at the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy on The University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson celebrates his 90th birthday with his son Richard on Saturday at the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy on The University of the West Indies, Mona campus.