‘She made it OK to dream’
Negril’s iconic MXIII owner Pauline Pringle’s memorial service set for today
THE MEMORIAL service for owner of the legendary MXIII Entertainment Centre in Negril, Westmoreland, and former Royal Air Force aircraftwoman, Pauline Pringle, is set to take place today at the St Mary Anglican Church at West End in the resort town.
Pringle, who grew up in the resort town and served in the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom, where she rose to the rank of senior aircraftwoman, died on December 22 at age 82.
Her cousin, Patrice Ejuwa, told The Gleaner that Pringle’s passing came as a surprise as, despite her age, she was vibrant and “out and about” up to that point.
“I was here about two months ago, and she looked great then, and even when we did video calls she still looked great; sparkly eyes, and looking forward to go and do something the next second,”Ejuwa explained.
“And so, I was, like, in shock for about two weeks. I was, like, I can’t believe she is gone. And so, as I meet with people who know her, I want to know more stories of what she meant to other people, because she meant a lot to people. I even know a story of her buying a boat for someone so that they could fish, because they wanted to fish,” she said.
Pringle, a Manning’s School old girl, was a staunch advocate for the development of Negril and was actively involved in civic organisations in the resort town up to recently. She was also at the forefront of calls for residents of neighbouring Little Bay, who were facing eviction from lands there, to be left alone.
According to Ejuwa, Pringle, who was also a real estate developer, had always held big dreams for her community.
“When I talked with her on the phone, she would tell me a lot about her dreams and things she would like to see – a reggae museum and a place when you could have a symphony. She had a lot of ideas … she made it OK to dream.”
She added: “We are putting something together for anyone who wants to come and celebrate her life, and when we say celebrate, we mean celebrate. And let us know what she meant to you, and you with her … . We can’t let her go without celebrating her life.”
Pringle’s MXIII Entertainment Centre was named and operated by her nephew Clive ‘Kubba’ Pringle, and was the home of the Bob Marley Birthday Bash, which was staged there for many years on the reggae icon’s birthday. The name pays tribute to four iconic black men, with ‘MX’ symbolising Malcolm X and the ‘III’ representing three other influential figures – Martin Luther King Jr, Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley.