Day 58 - Post Submission | Paying Tribute to Mr. Martin Henry, Advocate-UTech Jamaica & Subvention

Hi Friends,

Still no formal update from our Government of Jamaica or the Management of UTech, Jamaica on the alleged recent agreement to increase the government's subvention to our national university.

However, today I invite you join me in celebrating the life of a colleague Mr. Martin Henry who died suddenly last Tuesday 28th May, 2019. Mr. Henry was the Manager, Projects & Operations
School of Graduate Studies, Research & Entrepreneurship [SGSRE], UTech, Jamaica, a well known Political Affairs Analyst of Jamaica and a longstanding columnist of the Jamaica Gleaner.

During his tenure at UTech, Jamaica, Mr. Henry advocated for the welfare of both staff and the University as an Organization. He was a former member of the Executive of the Academic Union and he used his newspaper column as a context to bring public attention to the issues and challenges and achievements of our national university, UTech, Jamaica.

You may recall that in a Day 10-Post Submission update on 14th April, 2019, I shared with you his Gleaner article in support of our Petition > Martin Henry | A Petition And The Responsibilities Of The Citizen 

Personally I was most impacted by Mr. Henry based on a conversation we had 10 years ago, in 2009. I asked him then, how does he handle relating to persons who have values different from his own, values which he cannot support. In February of this year, in grilling me as to whether I knew what I was getting into by "Standing up for UTech, Jamaica" and initiating this petition "GOJ Increase the Subvention to the University of Technology, Jamaica, Commensurate with Need" we referred to that conversation.

I responded, "Mr. Henry, remember you told me 10 years ago 'Say what you mean. Mean what you say and accept the consequences. The problem with Christian people is that we don't want to accept consequences?' "

And Mr. Henry followed with "I said it to you then, I say it to you now!"

I invite you to view a tribute to Mr. Henry, posted on the UTech, Jamaica Alumni Blog, and add your words of honour and encouragement to Mr. Henry's family and community.

Click Here for Tribute to Mr. Martin Henry!

Let us buoyed by Mr. Henry's example, continue to Stand Up for UTech, Jamaica.

Thanks for your continued support despite this indefinite wait

~Cheryll Messam 
cheryllrm@yahoo.com