Farewell, tony Johnson; speak up now, Kamina
It was so sad to learn of the passing of former Cabinet minister, Member of Parliament, senator, diplomat, author, and firm Kingston College man, Anthony Johnson, last week.
It came at the height of his daughter’s efforts at fending off criticism of her seeming reluctance to tell the nation which parliamentarian threatened her in e-mails some years ago, as she claimed.
Tony Johnson was a top man, who served Jamaica, a nation that he loved, with absolute distinction. He was not in tip-top shape, healthwise, in recent years, and sadly had to be placed in a nursing home in his last days.
But he has a legacy that will long continue, if not at the national level, at least at KC where he was a legend, and was held in high esteem, just like his brother, Ivan “Wally” Johnson, the late principal.
When you look at Johnson’s impact, you would want to feel sympathy for his daughter, the senator and minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, who told a recent sitting of the Senate of a move by a parliamentarian to threaten her and she had to tell the police about it. Now, in order for people to think that this is not just a move by Johnson Smith to deflect attention from the George Wright disaster, she must come forward and call the name of the individual whom she has fingered as threatening her.
I have a difficulty with people, in particular women, crying foul about things that happened to them years before. It’s just not right. Such matters ought to be dealt with pronto, thus avoiding any kind of stain later in life. It is a bit late in the day, but not too late for Kamina to speak up.