A son of Jamaica, a son of JC

Kenneth Ainsley Cohen Henriques, CD

KENNETH AINSLEY Cohen Henriques, CD, was born in St Andrew, Jamaica, on October 11, 1938 to E.E.C. Henriques and Evelyn Matalon, neè Mordecai. He entered Jamaica College (JC) in 1949 as a boarder. He was a very successful athlete while at JC, as he was a part of the swimming, rifle, hockey and athletics teams. Of these, he was most successful in hockey and rifle, winning both the Henriques Cup and the Perkins Shield, respectively. In swimming, Henriques placed first or second in every event entered while competing for the Simpson Shield. He would also achieve the role of sergeant major while in the Jamaica College Cadet Corps.

After leaving JC, Henriques enrolled in Reading University after winning the Government agricultural scholarship. Upon his return to Jamaica, he operated the largest vegetable farm in the island, transforming his family land holdings in Springfield, St Thomas, into a revolutionary form of commercial vegetable farming and is credited with the creation of the ‘plummy tomato’.

Henriques has contributed tremendously to his alma mater, financially and otherwise. One of his most recent projects was the establishment of the Jamaica College Museum in 2014. Through the establishment of this museum, he and other stakeholders seek to safeguard the tremendous history of this noble institution.

His contributions to nation building are numerous and he has served on approximately 40 boards, both in the public and private sectors. Henriques served under the chairmanship of Carlton Alexander, who he described as being a mentor to him.

Henriques has been a vanguard in the safekeeping of some of the most important aspects of Jamaican history. He currently serves as chairman of the Musgrave Medal Committee of the Institute of Jamaica;

chairman of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. He has also played a very visible role in the Jamaican Jewish community, exposing the Jewish faith and culture to all Jamaica. Below are some of the many boards he has served on.

Managing director of Stanton Estates Ltd

Honorary consul for the State of Israel in Jamaica

Director of the Jamaica National Export Corporation

Chairman of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust

Managing director of the Jamaica Export Trading Company Ltd

Chairman of the Jamaica Gypsum & Quarries Ltd

Chairman of the Musgrave Medal Committee of the IOJ

Chairman of the Norman Washington Manley Foundation

Member of the World Spice Council

Member of the Board of Hillel Academy

Director of the Board of the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation

He is truly a son of Jamaica and Jamaica College and a man who is totally immersed in Jamaican culture to the point that one of his most famous quotes is from Maroon culture, which goes, ‘you nuh call, me nuh come’.

Henriques is married to Sheila Lamont and has three children from a previous marriage.