Kudos to Kenny

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

The business of dispensing honours to commemorate National Heroes Day has never been without its hiccups. This in the form of those who believe others would have been more deserving and have not been sufficiently recognised, and that their omission robs the occasion of its essence.

Sure, there have been appropriate questions raised about a choice handful of recipients, but by and large, those who have sweated and toiled to improve the lives of others, by their own industry or through public service, have been so recognised and suitably rewarded by the State over the years.

Well, this year, the decision by the State to invest businessman and philanthropist Kenny Sushil Benjamin with the coveted Order of Jamaica, and to the ranks of those entrusted with the title of The Honourable, was truly meritorious and a most fitting investiture of one who has distinguished himself through industry and philanthropy.

When Benjamin's story is written, the records will show that while the citation naming him to that most honourable ranks cited his contribution to the redevelopment of the Hope Zoo as the primary reason for his elevation, his body of work, through his support for the arts, education, and the less fortunate would have qualified him for the prestigious honour.

Since his arrival in Jamaica more than 40 years ago, Benjamin has not only been bullish on Jamaica, he has invested his energy and resources into contributing to making this a better place for all who call it home or come to visit.

Anyway, my dears, Monday last being National Heroes Day, after receiving his honour at King's House, his investiture, friends and relatives were invited to join him for a post-investiture brunch at his sprawling Stony Hill estate. And dears, what a treat this proved!

Nestled in the Montgomery neighbourhood, the home and grounds are a picture of architectural resplendence and botanical breathtaking beauty. Imagine an already beautiful home, now made that much more beautiful, draped as it was in the national colours, heralding the tidings of the day.

And so it was, my dears, as the entrance to the residence, the stairway and path leading to his upper gardens and 'entertainment
cathedral' were not only draped in the national colours, so, too, were the place settings for brunch, as well as the décor of the elevated 'cathedral' set in the Stony Hill mountainside, with the city of Kingston as its meandering backdrop.

Brunch was scheduled for 1 p.m. and guests began arriving promptly and were treated to a prelude of mimosas and other premium cocktails before being invited to feast. In keeping with the essence of the occasion, this was truly a celebration of all things Jamaican. So lunch was a traditional Jamaican fare inclusive of mackerel rundung, ackee and salt fish, jerked pork, stewed chicken, escoveitched fish, Johnny cakes, fried bammy, rice and peas, roasted breadfruit, fried ripe plantains, sliced hardough bread, avocados, and boiled green bananas.

the dessert station

And then there was the dessert station. Oh my word, what a treat!

Dears, we are talking gizzada, coconut drops, bread pudding, sweet potato pudding, mini plantain tarts, coconut puffs, and a fabulous Jamaican fresh fruit salad - all adding to what was truly, a Jamaican culinary symphony.

And, speaking of symphony, my dears, with the trooping of the national colours, the traditional Jamaican fare, the Peace Makers mento band, was the preferred entertainment, and dears, they entertained fabulously during lunch. But as dusk approached, the band members gathered under the cathedral with guests and performed their favourite Jamaican ballads, transforming the event into a sing-spiration and drumming session par excellence. Many of those present threw caution to the wind and joined in the singing and performance.

Among those out were P.J. Patterson; Dr Peter Phillips; Dr Wykeham McNeill and his wife, the stunning Sheila Benjamin-McNeill; Senator Noel Sloley and his elegant wife, Sharon, their lovely daughter, Lisa, and their son, Noel and his fiancée, Dr Alicia Duncan; Audley Shaw, his fabulous wife, Susan, and daughters, Allison, Dr Sasha Shaw-Cuthbert, and baby Kristiana Shaw. Also out were Jamaica Defence Force Chief of Defence Major General Antony Anderson and the fabulous Justine Henzell; United States Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater; head of the ISA Nii Odunton; Dr Arun Kashyap of the UNDP; Professor Errol Morrison; Robert MacMillan; Richard and Jacinth Byles; noted attorney Patrick Bailey; Dr Dhiru and Laura Tanna; Ian Garbutt and the lovely Sonia Kahn; Tanny Shirley; Grant and Jan Pisko; Valerie Juggan-Brown; Steve and Betty Ashley; Evan Williams; the charming Pamela Redwood; Rajiv Bakshi and the fab Dorothea Gordon-Smith, and Joan Gordon-Webley. Also out were the venerable Osbourne Stern and his son, former Member of Parliament Michael Stern; Major Johanna Lewin and her children, Gillian Belnavis and Jason Black; the celebrated Cat Coore; Dr Lee Martin; Jamaica's international modelling sensation, the simply fabulous Audrey Burgess-Barkatt; Colin Leslie; Alex Dropinski and his wife, Dr Saphire Longmore. We also spotted Tara Playfair-Scott; the lovely Annaliesa Lindsay; Vinay Walia; Tarun and Catherine Handa; Vikram and Additi Dhiman; Rajan and Sonia Trehan; Robbie and Odette Epstein; the lovely Christene King; Gary Barrow and his gorgeous wife, Bernadette; Saleem Lazarus; Robert Haughton; the happening Audrey Miller; Ed Khouri and the lovely Renée McCallum; George Kates; Andrew and Cynthia Massias; Neil Robinson; André McLean, and the fab Cherine Richards; Rod Dillon and the lovely Sheraine Murray; while family members included Benjamin's companion, the lovely Aloima Suarez; sons Nicholas and Brandon; daughter, the beautiful Brooke, who jetted in from Paris to join in the celebrations; and his sibling, Allan, who jetted in from Florida.

Dears, it was all good, even the speeches, as they, too, were brief and emotive, as against long-winded and verbose, and it made for a refreshingly fab do!