The headline of the Jamaica Observer editorial on December 4 quoted Rudyard Kipling —“To walk with kings and keep the common touch” — as a key part of the character of female trailblazer Dorothy Pine-McLarty. The day before her funeral Don Wehby was also described this way as he was inducted posthumously into the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Hall of Fame as its 31st member. This was also an appropriate description of another former boss, Butch Stewart.

Both individuals reached the top of their private sector careers in Jamaica as, respectively, the first woman partner of Jamaica’s leading law firm — Myers, Fletcher and Gordon (and managing partner of the firm’s UK office) — and group chief executive officer of Jamaica’s leading publicly traded conglomerate GraceKennedy.

However, as the quote demonstrates, it was their shared belief in people, willingness to mentor, and commitment to public service that marked them both as examples for Jamaicans to follow. For despite their very challenging private sector jobs, both found the time to do very important national service that helped build key institutions for Jamaica.

As the editorial noted, she became the first woman to chair the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) in 2013, having joined its predecessor, the Electoral Advisory Committee, in December 2000, and served in that capacity until her retirement on December 31, 2019.

Her contribution to our democracy included oversight of multiple elections; the Residence Reverification Project; the Electronic Voter Identification System; and the framing of political party registration and election campaign finance regulations.

For his part, in 2007, Wehby took leave from GraceKennedy to serve as senator and minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service. This was a time of great economic challenge, as the global financial crisis hammered poor, highly indebted countries like Jamaica. As the PSOJ citation notes, “He championed tax reform, fiscal discipline, and debt management — laying the groundwork for greater economic resilience.”

It adds, “Among his most enduring contributions to Jamaica’s economic landscape is his visionary support for the Junior Stock Exchange. Recognising the untapped potential of small and medium-sized enterprises, he championed a market that today stands as a pillar of entrepreneurial opportunity and inclusive growth.”

In addition, it noted, when he was asked to return to the Senate after his time as minister, he continued the example of his former boss, Douglas Orane, in offering his “voice as an independent, non-aligned contributor to public life”.

The praise from both Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and leader of the Opposition Mark Golding at the PSOJ event was the best example of Wehby’s non-partisan approach. Golding observed, “He was always a gentleman in the Senate,” calling him a “renaissance man”, in terms of his “diverse interests”, who was always willing to help the underprivileged when asked by him and others, noting that his relationship had preceded Wehby’s time in politics as his lawyer.

In turn, Prime Minister Holness said he had been intrigued that Wehby would leave his private sector career for public service, and that he was always impressed by Wehby’s reasoned, logical contributions in Cabinet, which often included his knowledge of the numbers from his training as an accountant. Wehby himself was always very proud of his accounting training and would repeatedly use the famous accountant’s quotes: “What gets measured gets done,” and “Cash is king,” just like my father and many other accountants of his generation.

GraceKennedy’s recognition of Wehby’s contribution to the company and Jamaica by announcing the renaming of its head office as “The Don Wehby Building” at the event echoes the recognition by the PSOJ of the contribution of former Grace CEO and visionary leader the late great Carlton Alexander, who famously coined the phrase, “If it is good for Jamaica, it is good for GraceKennedy”. PSOJ President Metry Seaga described Wehby as a product of “faith, discipline, and deep belief in Jamaica’s future”, qualities mirrored in the funeral speeches about Dorothy Pine-McLarty the next morning.

But in addition to their humility and courtesy, the key point to emphasise today is their emphasis on patriotic duty, meaning their willingness to put country above self in the form of service.

Governor General Patrick Allen, in his tribute to Dorothy Pine-McLarty, probably said it best: “As chair of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica she guided the commission with dignity, fairness, and steady resolve, ensuring that our electoral system remained strong, transparent, and respected. Her leadership helped safeguard one of the most important pillars of our democracy, and for this, the nation owes her gratitude.”

Minister Dana Morris Dixon, in her tribute for the Jamaica chapter of the International Women’s Forum, remarked on her admiration for Pine-McLarty as a strong and highly respected director at Jamaica National — a sentiment echoed by Managing Director Earl Jarret at her funeral — and her love of family which was also strongly emphasised in the PSOJ presentation.

For both, Nelson Mandela probably said it best: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” Both were institution-builders in many different areas and deserve commendation as examples to Jamaicans of lives well lived.

Keith Collister

Dorothy Pine-McLarty