Dr Karen Webster Kerr on Monday graciously accepted the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for her service in public health and epidemiology, but said the honour belonged to her colleagues who worked tirelessly for Jamaicans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I really appreciate this honour. COVID-19 was a very special time for the world, but for Jamaica it meant that we had to see what was happening, characterise what was happening in Jamaica, so that we could put interventions that matter for the country,” she told the Jamaica Observer after being vested with the national award at King’s House in St Andrew.

She explained that Jamaica’s national epidemiology branch worked “very hard, day in, day out” during the height of the pandemic, analysing data and coordinating responses to slow the virus’s spread.

“Our team within the national epidemiology branch was able to do that,” said Dr Webster Kerr. The field team was on the ground, and they were really doing a good job feeding us the information every day, many times a day, and our reporting would have helped for intervention and probably saved many lives in Jamaica,” she said.

According to Dr Webster Kerr, principal medical officer and national epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, those combined efforts made a measurable difference in the country’s pandemic outcome.

“Because of what we were able to do in Jamaica, we had less severe illnesses and less deaths than many,” she said, adding that the honour has given her a chance to reflect on both the sacrifices and the strength of her colleagues across the health sector.

“It is also a very sobering feeling to be honoured and I am really glad to be here. My co-workers, my family, my friends are here and I really appreciate it and I thank God that I was able to contribute to the health and wellness in Jamaica,” she said and described the honour as both uplifting and humbling.

Dr Webster Kerr was among several public servants, educators, and cultural figures who were honoured for significant national contribution.

Among them was Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, who was vested with the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) for his leadership in improving Jamaica’s health infrastructure and wellness programmes.

Dr Tufton told the Observer that the award was “not why we serve”, but an important reminder that commitment to public good makes a real difference.

“It does feel good to be appreciated by your country when we have served. It is a recognition that you are making an impact and it is motivation to continue to make an impact,” he said.

“I hope it acts as a motivation for those who want to serve, and who may have the desire to serve, that there is tremendous intrinsic reward in service, and what I tried to do over the years as a public servant in health and other areas is to do what I think, by my own conviction, is in the best interest of the Jamaican people,” Dr Tufton added.

In the education sector, Dr Janet Dyer, principal of HEART College of Hospitality Services — home to Cardiff Hotel and Spa — was vested with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) for her contribution to technical and vocational training.

Reflecting on her journey from humble beginnings in St Elizabeth, she said: “This morning I am feeling more than excellent. I see this as a completion of years of hard work, coming from nothing to something… a little girl from Burnt Savannah, St Elizabeth, having had to go to school barefooted, and couldn’t go to university because [my] parents did not have the money, so I went to HEART,” she said.

Dr Dyer noted that the honour represents the culmination of decades of perseverance and a lifelong commitment to empowering young Jamaicans through education and skills training.

Now Dr Dyer has dedicated her career to shaping Jamaica’s tourism and hospitality workforce. Over the years, she has trained and mentored countless students, many of whom now serve in senior positions in hotels, restaurants, and resorts across the island and beyond.

“I am very thankful to Jamaica, the Jamaican people, to all my students out there that I have impacted… Now I see the phrase coming back to me to say that ‘you have sown and it is now time for you to reap’; so, for the woman who has sown I am relishing the moment this morning, reaping some of the benefits,” she said.

Among the other honorees was gospel artiste Kevin Downswell, who was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) for his contribution to Jamaican music. Downswell, known for inspiring songs such as You Make Me Stronger and If It’s Not You, described the award as a divine reminder to keep serving through his craft.

“When it comes to KD, inside my heart is always kingdom — so we don’t seek awards, but these are inspirations for me. They keep me going, keep me fighting, keep me pushing,” he said.

For Downswell, the recognition was not merely about fame or accolades, but about faith and purpose. His work, he said, has always been rooted in using gospel music as a tool for upliftment and healing.

“I am very humbled and thankful to be recognised at this level in my own nation — very, very thankful,” he added.

Principal of HEART College of Hospitality Services Dr Janet Dyer after being vested with the Order of Distinction for her contribution to technical and vocational training on Monday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)