“Colonel was not just a natural leader; she was a force of nature. Her passion for advancing sports, education, social development, and cultural heritage resonated deeply within our community and beyond. She championed these causes tirelessly, often engaging my office pertaining to much-needed resources and attention for her people,” Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Daryl Vaz said.

It was part of his tribute to the late Charles Town Maroon Colonel Marcia Douglas at her funeral inside the Asafu Yard at Charles Town in Portland on Sunday, November 17. He was one of two government ministers who spoke, the other being Olivia Grange, minister of culture, entertainment, and sport. Amid the extoling of the virtues and accolades of Douglas, he made some announcements.

“I want to start our educational fund in memory of Marcia and I’m committing $150,000 … I will be an advocate and I will seek to raise funds to be able to turn them over to their council so that we can make sure that her memory lives on not just in word and prayer, but people will continue to benefit from her as they did in life in her death,” Vaz told the capacity audience, consisting of people from all over Jamaica.

The wider Charles Town community also stands to benefit, as at least once per week its much-used playfield will be lit up at night. The lighting of that area has been in discussion for a while, and Douglas’ transition seems to have turned on the switch.

“Since her passing, I’ve made it a special duty to secure the funding, not through government, but through my West Portland Charity Fund, which is funded by private sector and have teamed up with the Jamaica Public Service Company whose foundation has approved the funding to light up Charles Town Park like Lynch Park lights up every Sunday night,” Vaz said. Lynch Park is in Buff Bay, which, like Charles Town, is in Vaz’s West Portland constituency.

In his prepared manuscript, Vaz writes, “As the member of Portland, I am deeply honoured to announce that the Charles Town playfield will be illuminated in Colonel Douglas’ memory. This, I considered to be a fitting tribute to her enduring legacy and the passion she held for this community project.” However, things will not be in place until about March next year, as the lights are coming from China, and the shipment will take six to eight weeks.

Among other things, Vaz also said, “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Colonel Douglas … and the two things that come to mind is that we have a professional relationship. I am the representative, and therefore we do not discuss politics, party politics … Born in the heart of Charles Town, she became a beacon of hope and progress for community … she was also very supportive of projects and programmes designed to enhance the life of the people of West Portland and the parish by extension.”

And there were more announcements, as Grange, in paying her tribute to the late colonel with whom she had a long-standing professional relationship, said she was going to match Vaz’s contribution to the education fund and that a statue of National Heroine Nanny of the Maroons will be mounted in Port Antonio Square in honour of Marcia Douglas.

“Like the great national heroine and mother of Jamaican woman – Nanny of the Maroons – Marcia was not daunted by assuming leadership in a tradition of males, for all the others were men. But, like Nanny, Marcia immersed herself in the heritage and traditions of the Maroons and emerged stronger and more determined to keep Charles Town as a respected Maroon community,” Grange said.

In her prepared speech, Grange ended her tribute by saying, “You have lost a great, inspirational leader and it is natural that you will mourn this great loss. Take comfort, however, in the knowledge that she was loved and respected by all Jamaica as you continue to ensure that memories of her, her work, her leadership and endearing humanity, will always be remembered when the stories of Charles Town and the entire Maroon communities of Jamaica are told. Walk good, Colonel and rest in the bosom of your ancestors. Nanny, I am assured, will greet you well.”

Colonel Marcia Douglas died suddenly on Wednesday, October 16 while on her way to participate in the Seville Heritage Expo in St Ann.