Untold Stories of National Awardees | Facey urges preservation of Ja's unique qualities
Published:Thursday | September 6, 2018 | 12:00 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Jamaicans looking beyond racial differences as well as political and religious biases is one sure way to preserve the country's standing among nations of the world in ways others take for granted, said Stephen Facey, chairman and chief executive officer of PanJam Investment Limited.
"Jamaica and Jamaicans are leaders in so many areas of endeavour, and I think that we have tremendous potential as a people and a country. I think one of the things Jamaica really excels at is this idea, which has been imbued in our motto, 'Out of Many, one People'," Facey said.
"And having been around the world and seen the interpersonal challenges that people have and how poorly they deal with them, how badly one religion and one race treats the other, I think Jamaica shows lots of maturity in that regard and how people can come together, with different beliefs, different backgrounds, and work together to create a country and an economy. It's a very admirable and positive trait, and I hope we can preserve that."
Facey is being awarded membership in the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) for his outstanding contribution to real estate development, banking, and the financial insurance sectors.
PASSION FOR REAL ESTATE
Born into a family that traces its roots on the island to the mid-1700s, Facey grew up in Mandeville, Manchester, and attended the DeCarteret College.
His educational background saw him attending Rice University and the University of Pennsylvania, both in the United States, where he did an undergraduate degree then later, a master's in architecture.
"That maybe where my passion for real estate came from," he said.
"My father, in particular, was involved in property development, and I suppose growing up as a teenager going to school, the development of real estate was front and centre in my family. My mother, while not quite as qualified, was kind of the 'draftsman' in the family, assisting my father with his dreams of building a modern Kingston and a modern Jamaica," Facey said.
He stated that being awarded the national honour must be seen more as a reflection of the people who played their part in making PanJam successful over the years than as a reward for his personal input.
Facey said that his vision for Jamaica is one in which all its people are prosperous; where the national motto is used as a template in how to live as one people, coming together from different backgrounds to make the country progressive, peaceful, and developed.