Who is popular today?

T he dispute between Jamaica College (JC) and two of its past students who have been warned to stop making public statements about developments at the high school, spawned by the Ruel Ried controversy, took a new twist late last week that could prolong the imbroglio.An alliance of old boys from Calabar High School, JC, Kingston College (KC), Cornwall College, Munro College, St George's College, and Wolmer's Boys' School has chided the JC board for issuing a cease and desist call on Major Basil Jarrett and Collin Greenland, adding that both men's loyalty to JC was indisputable."Unquestionably, these are two gentlemen who have nothing but love for their alma mater; and both have backed this up with selfless yeoman service, over many years, particularly in the alumni and parent-teacher association at Jamaica College. Both men have also underscored their ultimate belief in and dedication to their school by sending their sons to JC, especially when the rest of us, in our usual banter, would teasingly suggest that, in the Corporate Area, better options exist for our Fervet friends on both sides of North Street, on Red Hills Road and at Heroes' Circle," the alliance wrote in a letter to the Jamaica Observer."Not many of their detractors themselves can make that claim, with Major Jarrett himself going as far as to name his only begotten son after the institution. That act of devotion ought not to be taken lightly, and to suggest that these men would try to harm their alma mater is preposterous and possibly malicious," added the alliance.The Sunday Observer was told that Major Jarrett's son's name is Jace Caleb Jarrett.The cease and desist call was issued by JC on November 30 as public controversy swirled around the issue of Reid's possible return to the high school as principal after the education ministry rejected a recommendation from the school board for a five-year extension of special leave granted to Reid in March 2016 to serve as education minister.However, on November 20, the day that the leave was set to expire, Reid and the school board issued a joint release advising of his immediate resignation.Reid remains before the court, having been arrested in October 2019 along with his wife Sharen, their daughter Sharelle, Jamaica Labour Party Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence, and Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Fritz Pinnock.Reid and Pinnock are facing charges of breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act, conspiracy to defraud, misconduct in a public office at common law, and breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act in relation to the education ministry and CMU.Last month the Observer had reported that a majority of the executive members of the JC Old Boys' Association (JCOBA) and the Parent-Teacher Association (JCPTA) had resigned in protest against the position taken by the board.According to stakeholders at the Old Hope Road, St Andrew school who confirmed the development, the old boys and parents had been fed up with the drawn-out situation regarding Reid's fate.Greenland, the PTA president, also confirmed the resignations."The mass of the old boys have resigned and the mass of the PTA has resigned, but not everybody is gone. Some persons in both organisations may also follow, but when you have responsibilities you want to put things in place before you make that final step," he said at the time.However, board Chairman Michael Bernard said he was unaware of any mass resignations. But that did not put an end to the matter, resulting in school officials accusing Jarrett and Greenland of engaging in actions that were "harmful and detrimental" to JC, its students, institutions, reputation, and legacy.The signatories to the cease and desist call - R Danny Williams, past board chairman; Derek Jones, chairman, JC Trust; Chris Williams, chairman, JC Foundation; Wayne Robertson, acting principal; Ian Forbes, old boys' association vice-president; and Bernard - warned that they would take "all available action" against Jarrett and Greenland if both men continued to make what the officials said were "false accusations against other members of the school community and its institutions"."Such action will include full and public exposure of all the relevant facts... playing of tapes, disclosure of documents, and legal action for defamation," the school officials said.In response, the alliance of old boys - Dr Patrick Dallas and Maurice Weir of KC; David Miller and Keith Whyte of Calabar; Kirk Benjamin, Wolmer's; Telroy Morgan, Munro; and Peter Lee from Cornwall - expressed disappointment at the cease and desist call.Referencing a word in the school motto - ' Floreat collegium, fervet opus in campis' (Latin translated as 'May the college flourish, work is burning in the field') - they described Jarrett and Greenland as "two proud Fervets, who have never resiled from expressing their gratitude to the Jamaica College tradition for their growth and development".Both men, the alliance said, "are committed to ensuring that Jamaican men and boys are provided with good role models and given opportunities to develop intellectually, physically and emotionally. They have always demonstrated a keen interest in the growth and development of the young men at Jamaica College and in preparing them to play their part as the next generation of leaders in Jamaica, land we love."The old boys said they first engaged Jarrett and Greenland in the context of their service to their alma maters, specifically working together to develop the very successful alliance, Three the Hard Way between Calabar, JC, and KC."The collaboration later became Three the Hard Way and Friends with the inclusion of old boys from Cornwall, Munro, St George's and Wolmer's Boys'."The goal of the alliance remains simple: To preserve - through collaboration, partnership and mutual support in education and development - the heritage, culture and contribution to national development that traditional boys' schools have made to Jamaica over the years," the group explained."Importantly, too, it serves as a vehicle through which we continue to demonstrate to present boys that it is possible to be rivals on the sporting field but friends in all aspects of our lives; that there is no place for enmity, hostility, or petty squabbles based on school colours, or from a national perspective, party lines or class biases," the group added."The alliance is a veritable manifestation of a collaboration that is bigger than each of us individually, and bigger than all of us combined, and both Major Jarrett and Mr Greenland have always stood ready to offer assistance to any member of our fraternity. As men of integrity and wisdom, we have repeatedly shared ideas and debated strongly on matters of national import," the group stated."While we are disappointed that these two men and the JC Old Boys, which they represent, have complained of censorship and non-inclusion by the board, we are even more dismayed that anyone would dare to question their loyalty, dedication and hard work up there at 189 Old Hope Road," the alliance said."We believe that the JCOBA and JCPTA have an important role in complementing and supplementing the work of the board and management at JC, while maintaining efforts to sustain programmes for the holistic development of the students. All these groups working together have the important opportunity of bringing the school community closer while making any adjustments required to maintain and/or improve the school's contribution to education and our nation. We encourage a mutual effort in the direction of this opportunity and urge that all actions that break down such mutuality cease and desist forthwith," the alliance said."In the meantime, we look forward to harmony and normalised relationship at 'True Blue' Jamaica College," the group added.