‘Larger than life’ Paul Lawrence passes away

An outpouring of grief has been expressed by the Jamaican community in the United Kingdom (UK) following the sudden death of a leading community activist and businessperson, Dr Paul Lawrence.

The 56-year-old from London died on Friday, December 11, after reportedly experiencing breathing difficulties.

The death of the St Catherine-born Lawrence comes a week before the launch of the Jamaica Floods Fundraising Concert, which the entrepreneur was to have an integral part in organising. The Flood Appeal will be cancelled until January 2021.

Hubert Lawrence, speaking to The Gleaner, said the death of his only brother was a big loss.

The journalist and commentator said: “Family and friends are in shock. We are devastated.

“Paul was a loyal and a passionate man whose Jamaican culture moved him to have an open-door policy and help others.

“The family was proud of Paul’s achievements as a professional in the UK, and we were expecting him to do the same on his planned return to Jamaica.”

Lawrence moved to England from Jamaica in 1989, during his late 20s, and made his mark as a community leader, starting various charities, including 100 Black Men of London. The community-based organisation was founded in 2001 and provided mentoring, education, economic empowerment, and health suggestions for 10 to 16-year olds.

Tony Harrison, a friend and business acquaintance of Lawrence for 20 years, described the Jamaican’s legacy to The Gleaner. He said: “Paul’s legacy is found in the impact of his mentoring, coaching, and training for the young, helping them to appreciate that they can experience the best of life’s opportunities.

“He set before young people a choice - to achieve or not to achieve in life – and taught them how to excel.”

Dean Aston, from Talent Acquisition Expert, said of his experience with the charity: “The mentoring programme is the best decision I could have made at the time as it ultimately changes the way you think, and more importantly, how you think about yourself. The confidence, ability to push yourself, and being good and ethical are things I learned at the 100.”

Leroy Logan, former superintendent in the London Metropolitan Police and founding member of the Black Police Association, remembers Lawrence with fondness. He said: “Paul was a community activist who would get his hands dirty in initiatives that many people would shy away from and would always speak up. He was a compassionate man who will be missed.”

In recent months, Lawrence had launched his own YouTube talk show entitled People Talk. Among the issues discussed on his show were domestic violence, child abuse in the community, and why some black men find it difficult to commit to their partners.

Dr Kevin Brown, chair of the Jamaican Diaspora UK, described the character of his former friend: “Paul started his YouTube show during the pandemic, and it took off. He was very straight talking and was a stand-out character, a respected community activist, and his passing will reverberate through the Jamaican community.”

Despite having a vital share in several business and community ventures, the father of one wrote a book in 2017 titled 101 Lessons I Taught My Son.

When Lawrence was asked what had inspired the writing of his book, his response was: “I’ve been working in the personal development arena for many years, and much of my work surrounded young people, particularly young boys. I had not seen any books which grasped the role of a father, a black father in the development of his son.”

Paul Lawrence leaves behind a son, Kaream Lawrence and a fiancé, Sherrine Barrowes, who he was due to marry.

Beverley Critchlow, one of the organisers of the Jamaica Floods Fundraising Concert, has promised that January’s event will memorialise the achievements of Paul Lawrence and raise funds for flood victims.

Critchlow said: “Paul was going to be an integral part of the ticketing and donations arrangements for the virtual concert. The event was going to happen on his platform Jus Tickets. He had a wide-reaching network, which includes contacts from the US, Jamaica, and UAE.

“He was a larger-than-life character and will be hugely missed.”

Clifton McLeod, the managing director of events company MMCo World, described Jus Tickets as the Caribbean community’s equivalent to Ticketmaster, providing access to theatre shows, concerts, and clubs.

“When Jus Tickets started, there was a lot of black promoters and shows, and there was a need for a central hub to distribute tickets. Paul’s idea capitalised on a big market and it did well,” McLeod said.

Jamaica Floods Fundraising Concert will feature music performances, poetry, and comedy.

Glen Munro