JAMAICA hosts the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) meeting in Montego Bay from July 6-8. In 1973 Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica were original members of this regional bloc which currently comprises 15 states and five associate members.

For almost 80 years Jamaica has been home to some of the most influential Caribbean personalities — artistes/musicians, sports figures and academics/politicians.

Here is a look at some of those who made an impact on their adopted homeland.

Lord Kitchener

The Trinidadian calypsonian lived in Kingston for six months, from 1947-48, recording songs and performing at shows. That stint ended when he boarded the
Empire Windrush in May 1948 for the United Kingdom, where he lived for 14 years. “Kitch”, widely considered the greatest calypsonian, died in 2000 at age 77.

Sir Frank Worrell

A West Indies cricket legend, Worrell was the first black man to captain the regional team. One of the vaunted Three Ws (the others being Clyde Walcott and Everton Weekes), he was born in Barbados, and made his first class début for his homeland in 1941, playing for Barbados until 1947.

Worrell played for Jamaica from 1947 until his retirement in 1964. He also captained Boys’ Town in the local Senior Cup,and was made a Jamaica senator by Prime Minister Sir Alexander Bustamante. Worrell, who played 71 Tests for the West Indies, died in Kingston at age 42 in March 1967.

Walter Rodney

Born in Georgetown, Guyana, Rodney was a fiery academic who attended and taught at The University of the West Indies’ Mona campus. A prolific writer, his books include
The Groundings With My Brothers, a 1969 recollection of intimate meetings with the August Town community, and the seminal
How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, released in 1972.

His anti-colonial views, considered radical, influenced Prime Minister Hugh Shearer to block him from re-entering Jamaica in October 1968, a move that resulted in day-long protests throughout Kingston. Rodney, who was also removed from his lecturer’s post at the Mona campus, died when a time bomb, placed in a walkie-talkie, detonated in his car on June 13, 1980 in Georgetown. The defective instrument was given to him by Gregory Smith, a member of the Guyanese army.

Lord Creator

A leading calypsonian in his native Trinidad, the singer came to Jamaica in the summer of 1962 to participate in the country’s independence celebrations in August that year. He wrote and recorded Independent Jamaica to mark the historic occasion. That song was produced by Vincent “Randy” Chin, who also guided Lord Creator on Don’t Stay Out Late, another of his big hits.

Lord Creator, who died in Hanover at age 87 in 2023, was awarded the Order of Distinction in 2022.

Lynn Taitt

A guitarist from the San Fernando Valley in Trinidad and Tobago, Taitt is regarded by many as the father of rocksteady. He played on many of the genre’s classic songs including 1966’s
Take It Easy — considered the first rocksteady song. Taitt also played on (007) Shantytown, Alton Ellis’s Girl I’ve Got A Date, and Stop That Train by Keith and Tex.

He moved to Canada during the late 1960s and lived there until his death in 2010 at age 75.

The Grenadian academic/politician was married to Phyllis, a Jamaican he met while studying in the United Kingdom. Like Walter Rodney, he was a lecturer at The University of the West Indies’ Mona campus and a founding member of the Workers Liberation League, which became the Workers Party of Jamaica.

Coard is best known for his role in the New Jewel Movement with childhood friend Maurice Bishop, which overthrew Grenada’s Prime Minister Eric Gairy in 1979. After Bishop became prime minister, Coard was part of his Cabinet, but their falling out resulted in a bloody stand-off in October 1983 that saw Bishop and seven other people killed by firing squad.

At his trial in 1986 Coard was sentenced to death for his part in the incident. This was later commuted to life in prison.

Since his release from prison in September 2009, Coard has lived in Jamaica.

Julien Alfred

Alfred won the Olympic 100 metres at the 2024 Paris Games, becoming the first St Lucian to win a gold medal at sports’ greatest showpiece. Alfred attended St Catherine High School, which is also the alma mater of Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness.

She represented that school from 2015-18 at the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships and considers her time in Jamaica critical to her athletic development.

LORD KITCHENER… lived in Kingston for six months, from 1947-48

RODNEY… taught at The University of the West Indies’ Mona campus

ALFRED… attended St Catherine High School