October Nineteen '84
Published:Monday | October 25, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor
Have you ever stopped to wonder what was happening in Jamaica 26 years ago? We did. Flair turned 26 on October 16, and we decided to look back at some of The Gleaner pages on that day. To read the editorial was like being caught in a time warp; we addressed high interest rates and issues pertaining to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The decade had started out very violently, so it was comforting to see that only two articles reported violent crimes.
But, check out the day's headlines below:
1. How rural poor cope with rising costs 'me pinch what me have'
2. Bridge of Trade with Dom Rep - PM
3. 'Jamaica beware the god of money'
4. Witness: Hit and run death went 'flying'
5. Tight security after IRA bombing
Elsewhere in the paper
The paper was published right after the national honours awards ceremony for that year was held, so the inside pages captured the pomp and pageantry that accompanied the event. Two little boys were among the recipients that year. They had received badges of honour for brave acts. We wonder where they are now? Edward George Muschette and Arthur Conrad Levy received awards for bravery in circumstances of extreme danger. They rescued several persons from drowning when a boat capsized off Edgewater, Portmore, St Catherine, on June 26 of that year.
One of The Gleaner's leading columnists
at the time, the late Carl Wint, dealt with food import prices that
showed figures of US$500 (J$2 billion) at the then exchange rate. Last
year's food import bill was a whopping US$802 million (J$6.8 billion)
Karl Samuda was minister of state in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Today he heads that ministry.
Ed
Bartlett was minister of youth and community development, and he had
recently received some members of the Bureau of Women's Affairs who had
called on him to inform him of plans to start a crisis centre for women.
Mr Bartlett is now the minister of tourism, and Flair is currently running a Bureau of Women's Affairs series in recognition of the Inter-American Year of Women.
Dr Ken Baugh was minister of health. Today, he is minister of foreign affairs.
Sir Florizel Glasspole was governor general. He is deceased.
There
were only two stories about violent acts in Jamaica on that day; one of
them was about a kitchen steward who received 15 years for chopping his
wife to death.
In the hospitality sector, The Gleaner
of October 16 carried a report that north-coast hotels were preparing
for the winter tourist season but, in the interim, some staff had been
laid off while others had been rotated. If you have been following
current trends in the hospitality sector, you will see that not much has
changed.
In
the world of philanthropy, we also reported that Jamaica National
Building Society had donated $5,000 to the Harrison Memorial Home for
the Aged Trust Fund.
In sports, then West Indies cricket captain Clive Lloyd was on tour in Australia. Lloyd is now residing in England.
The
day's edition also carried an ad that said Jamaican boxer Mike McCallum
would fight Sean Mannion on October 19, 1984 at the Cinema 1 in New
Kingston. The boxer has since retired.
World news
Regionally,
in Grenada, there was talk of the trial for the 19 charged in the
bloody coup of the previous year. Subsequently, those tried have either
served their sentences or died.
In England, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was at the helm. Today she is retired and suffers from dementia.
In
the United States of America, President Ronald Reagan, described as "a
historic endeavour in the cause of peace in Central America", talks
between El Salvador's President Salvador Duarte and guerilla leaders.
Duarte and Reagan are deceased.
In
South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu was favoured to win the Nobel
Peace Prize. He won it and today he is retired and his title is The Most
Reverend Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
That day's edition also carried a report on rehearsals by the Manchester Players for a three-act play titled Good Night Mrs Puffin at the Cecil Charlton Hall in Mandeville. The Manchester Players have been inactive, but the hall is still there.