Michael Abrahams | Congratulations, Mark Golding

My first recollection of Mark Golding was in the 1980s. I was in medical school at The University of the West Indies at the time, and was among a group of young people hanging out at the house of a classmate who was a mutual friend. We were engaged in an activity, probably dominoes, and ‘Mi God Mi King’ by Papa Levi, a very popular dancehall song, was playing in the background. The song features a segment where Levi goes blindingly fast, spitting lyrics like an M-16. As that part of the song was being played, I heard someone in the room deftly deejaying along with Levi, and not missing a beat.

I looked up and saw this white dude merrily, and effortlessly, chanting like a badass:

“…Up inna zion deh righteous will top

Down inna Hell the wicked a rot

The sweetest singer a Sugar Minott

The maddest comedian a Kenny Everett

Dracula tun inna vampire bat

But when him see sun him cyaan tek dat

You eye dem dark fi use contact

But deh pon deh mic is Levi a chat

Not so long Jah walk pon deh land

The peaceful righteous Rastaman

Troddin with the Maccabee inna him hand

Preaching love to man and woman…”

“So much for racial stereotypes,” I said to myself, thinking that this guy is really cool.

My next encounter with Mark was when I had finished medical school and was doing my residency in obstetrics and gynaecology. I was on call one evening, and my colleague and friend, the same one at whose house I had witnessed Mark’s deejaying skills, called and asked me if I would be able to see Mark’s wife, Sandra, about a medical issue she was having. I gladly consented. I did not know her at the time, and when I saw him arrive at the Accident and Emergency Unit, I greeted him warmly. There were several people in the unit at the time, and standing near to him was an attractive black woman, who I also greeted, while I waited for him to introduce me to his wife, who I did not realise was the dark-skinned lady standing to his right. You see, in my country, there is a tendency for successful and well-educated white or ‘high colour’ Jamaican men to choose light-skinned women as their spouses. Again, I realised that Mark did not fit that stereotype.

FOCUSED ON HIS JOB

Several years later, Mark entered the political arena. During Portia Simpson Miller’s second stint as prime minister, Mark served as minister of justice. The election was approaching, and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was going hard on social media. I encountered Mark at a social event and commented on his absence on social media platforms. I realised that he was more focused on doing his job than on putting himself out there and encouraged him to raise his profile.

But despite his qualifications and status, Mark is a humble man who has stayed away from the spotlight. He has been seen in the North Stand at Sabina Park (when he could have easily been profiling in a corporate box), flying economy, and attending football matches in Arnett Gardens long before entering representational politics.

Along with his humility, we see a man who also has a great sense of humour and does not take himself too seriously. It is well known that the People’s National Party (PNP) has recently experienced a lot of turmoil, and much of the drama and discord in the party has been made public. A satirical meme was recently created showing Golding, Damion Crawford, Peter Phillips, Peter Bunting, Lisa Hanna and Krystal Tomlinson with their heads photoshopped on to the bodies of the women on the popular reality show ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’. The meme was titled ‘Keeping Up With The Comrades’, and I posted it on my social media pages. Many found it funny, but some Comrades were offended and angrily chastised me for being “disrespectful”. I sent the meme to Mark via WhatsApp, along with the comments “SAS CRISE MARK! Is what do oonu???”, adding “Yuh look sexy still”. He responded with a laughing emoji, obviously seeing the humour and realising that with politics, satire is par for the course.

Of course, being human, Golding is not perfect. Earlier this year, on a political platform, he made some off-colour remarks alluding to the JLP’s Alando Terrelonge’s perceived orientation. But, being the mature individual that he is, later apologised for his remarks, unlike his colleague Dayton Campbell who was on the platform with him, who he also later had to call out for throwing shade at Lisa Hanna, his opponent in the recently concluded leadership race. Mark even defended Hanna, by stating that her association with the JLP in the past should not be used against her.

I have told Mark on several occasions that I think he would be a good leader for the party, but he has always said he was not interested. Now the delegates have spoken and have chosen him to run things. I am proud of him and Ms Hanna for running decent and respectful campaigns.

His win is not only good for the party, but also good for Jamaican politics. The PNP needs its credibility to be restored, and Golding has the qualities of a leader who can inspire and unite. Our country requires a good and strong opposition. Finally, it appears as if the PNP will be seeing the renewal that was promised, but not delivered, several years ago.

Michael Abrahams is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, social commentator, and human-rights advocate. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and michabe_1999@hotmail.com, or tweet @mikeyabrahams.