Members of the Upper House yesterday paid tribute to former parliamentarians, including former Senate President Oswald Harding and former House of Representatives Speaker Dean Peart, as well as legendary track and field coach Stephen ‘Franno’ Francis and West Indies cricket icon Sir Garfield Sobers.
Leading the tributes to Harding, Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson described the former Senate president as a gentleman and scholar who brought distinction to every field in which he served and left an indelible mark on every institution he helped shape.
Harding served as president of the Upper House during three periods – from 1980 to 1983, 1983 to 1984, and 2007 to 2011.
Tavares-Finson said that beyond politics, Harding was widely recognised for his service to law, diplomacy and education.
Senator Kavan Gayle described Harding as “a remarkable Jamaican patriot”, saying he belonged to a generation of leaders who understood that public office was about service rather than personal advancement.
“Whether he stood in this Chamber, appeared before the courts, served in the Cabinet or represented his party on the political platform, he did so with dignity, wisdom and exceptional eloquence,” Gayle said.
Leader of Opposition Business Senator Donna Scott Mottley, who was taught by Harding at law school, said she and her fellow students came to appreciate his intellect, exacting standards and deep commitment to the law.
“Professor Harding belonged to that increasingly rare generation of public servants whose commitment to country transcended office, title and political circumstances,” she said, adding that his passing marked the end of a remarkable chapter in Jamaica’s parliamentary and legal history.
Senator Sherene Golding Campbell described Harding as “a rarity, in what is a hurly-burly world of politics – a vocation in which integrity of purpose, civility and respect for one’s adversaries struggle to find a place”.
She said those qualities defined his more than five decades of political and public service.
Reflecting on his own interactions with Harding, Senator Marlon Morgan recalled working as a parliamentary research officer at Gordon House between 2007 and 2011 while Harding served as Senate president.
“I just vividly recall whenever you would have interacted with Ossie Harding, a particular word comes to mind as I reflect – the word ‘assuredness’. He had this manner about him, unbothered, easy going, but a distinct assuredness,” Morgan said.
He added that Harding’s calm demeanour instilled confidence in those around him.
A moment of silence was observed in Harding’s honour. The longest-serving senator in Jamaica’s history died on June 24.
The Senate also honoured Francis, one of Jamaica’s most accomplished track and field coaches.
Tavares-Finson said Francis’ vision, discipline and unwavering pursuit of excellence transformed Jamaican athletics and helped cement the country’s reputation as a global sprinting powerhouse.
Senator Lambert Brown praised Francis for bringing Jamaicans together through sport and giving the nation reason to celebrate during difficult times.
“To have coached, at one time, the world’s fastest man – 9.77 in Asafa Powell – that by itself is greatness,” Brown said.
“To follow that up with having the fastest female over 200 metres, and the third fastest female alive today, is double, triple greatness, and that is the work of Stephen Francis, OJ.”
Senator Abka Fitz-Henley highlighted Francis’ remarkable record at the MVP Track and Field Club.
“Under the guidance of Stephen Francis, the club has contributed to more than 110 medals for Jamaica at major global championships, including over 37 Olympic medals and 75 World Championship medals,” he said.
Francis died on July 4.
Senator Floyd Morris also paid tribute to former parliamentarian Dean Peart, who died on July 12.
Tavares-Finson additionally acknowledged the passing of West Indies cricket legend Sir Garfield Sobers, hailing both his immense contribution to regional cricket and “his contribution to West Indian character”.
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