P.J. Patterson lauds Dr Carlton Davis’ autobiography

FORMER PRIME Minister P. J. Patterson recruited Dr Carlton Davis, a mineralogist, into his government at a time when there was a great need to transform the civil service. And for several years, Dr Davis was the head of the civil service in the capacity as Cabinet secretary.

It was perhaps the most important period of Davis’ life, and it is all there to be read about in his autobiography, My Life, launched recently at King’s House in the presence of some of his former Cabinet colleagues, including P. J. Patterson, the guest speaker, and people from every sphere of Jamaican life.

“Dr Carlton Davis had many fine hours in a distinguished public service, but his tenure of 15 years as Cabinet secretary was undoubtedly his finest hour in helping to make the system of governance more functional, efficient, and responsive to the needs of our people.

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

“He had reached the top of the mountain and this book reveals how and why he did it. He established the template for those who have already succeeded him and others who will follow hereafter in his gigantic footprint,” Patterson told the gathering.

About his role as guest speaker, Jamaica’s longest-serving prime minister revealed that, “The assignment is formidable enough in light of the wide span that the book covers. Made even more difficult by having previously been invited to write the introduction. The title then was, ‘So Much to Tell’… .

“That earlier request also gave me the advantage of getting the original manuscript to read thoroughly – 797 pages in 40 separate chapters, with elaborate footnotes, and savour many delightful portions which had to be omitted from this published gem for reasons of space.”

His address to a full house encompassed snippets of Davis’ Clarendon origin, such as, “With a broad span of eight decades, the compelling chronicle begins in a village of rural Clarendon where the sugar estate was dominant, but adjacent communities were striving to loosen the syndrome of the barracks mentality”. There were also some Davis family anecdotes; mention of his “circuitous” educational path; reflections on Davis’ ascension to his Cabinet secretary job, after 31 years as executive director and chairman of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute; and his professional achievements.

And, on Dr Davis’ intellectual versatility in the arts and the sciences, Patterson said he is “the soil chemist who became Cabinet secretary – living oxymoron or just like Gary Sobers in cricket – a brilliant and well-rounded scholar and fluent writer with an eclectic range. This book represents the work of a full, ready, and exact man which will tell us so much,” he remarked.

SPELL-BINDING TALE

This “spell-binding tale, literary masterpiece and well-crafted narrative”, Patterson said, chronicles the country’s evolution through all the stages of universal adult suffrage, internal self-government, and the eventual collapse of the “Federal experiment to the advent of our national Independence and beyond”.

“He cleverly weaves each story within his own life experience so it informs us about the long political history and trading association with the Caribbean. And so – My Life is more than an autobiography; it is an authentic histography of the pre-Independence journey by one who is endowed with an analytic mind and imbued with the catalytic will to succeed … I heartily commend the publishers, Ian Randle, for a finely honed memoir.”

In his brief presentation, Randle encouraged people to “Take a leaf out of Carlton’s book”, to write, to record their experiences for a generation who have absolutely no idea of the Jamaica they have inherited, what it was like before, and how it came to be what it is”.

And, it cannot be too late to start, Randle said, citing Dr Davis’ own case of publishing his memoir in his 80s. Also, lack of experience should not be a deterrent, as long as people see themselves as writers, because they have a story to tell, with guidance, of course. “That’s what we as publishers are here for, to hold your hand and take you through the process,” the long-time publisher stated.

In his address, Governor General Patrick Allen said, inter alia, “This memoir is not merely a narrative, but a profound reflection of a distinguished journey through Jamaica’s civil service, shaped by dedication and exemplary leadership.

“Dr Davis’ illustrious career, marked by service under five prime ministers, exemplifies his unwavering commitment and an unparalleled contribution to our nation. His tenure as Cabinet secretary and head of the civil service remains a beacon of his impactful legacy. A true son of Four Paths, Clarendon, Dr Davis embodies the spirit of ‘service above self’, a principle that has guided his path and inspired others.”

The man of the moment’s address was full of gratitude for, and acknowledgement of, those who helped him along his life’s journey; assisted him with the book; and the production and hosting of, and participation in, the launch. He remarked that P.J. Patterson’s comment on his book was “thorough” and “concise”. There was also some amount of reflection on his years as Cabinet secretary.

Turning to the matters of writing, publishing and reading, Dr Davis mentioned the “difficult wicket” on which people in the book business have to bat. “There is insufficient or lack of sponsorship for writers, and insufficient or lack of readers for writers and publishers. These are two fundamental problems that we as a society have to overcome,” he said.