Jones P, the rarest of human beings

Dara Healy

“I heard a tap on the glass…I could see the barrel of the gun close to the window. I can see the eyes of the person who was holding it…he could have fired at any moment. I screamed and to explain to you how these thoughts came together, thousands of them at the same time. What do I do? What is the mode I must get into?

My conclusion was, nothing of an attempted coup, but rather a mad man with a gun having stormed Trinidad and Tobago Television...I spun around again, jumped off the seat and I could hear him saying: ‘Get that man out of there boy, get out of there!’ I’m on the floor and I said, you know what, let me go face this.”

– Extract from an interview with Jones P Madeira by Michelle A Eng Leang and Rachael Espinet

IN THE WEEKS leading up to Christmas last year, I was having conversations with him in my head. I was working on a piece about the fact that in 2025 I would celebrate ten years of being a columnist at Newsday, and that it had all started with him.

Ten years ago, I sent him an angry piece, raging against a government notice that used to come out in the media, reminding citizens that Ash Wednesday was a day to go back to work. I was talking to him in my head, trying to work out how much information I should share because I knew how private he was.

But as you can see from the quotation, he was also a quiet warrior, always conscious of taking responsibility for his team.

A mentor is described as “someone with knowledge and experience in your desired field who is willing to share this knowledge to help you achieve your goals.” I had never thought of him as such, but looking back, he certainly was that.

In his quiet way, he informed me that my column would be weekly.

I baulked at the prospect, and for a brief moment, I considered turning him down. But since that day, every week I have poured my passion and desire into this space. My motivation – to play an active role in helping our country to improve, and yes, to write well. But also, to make Mr Madeira proud.

My mother often speaks about how mentorship saved her.

Now that I have a better understanding of her life and the challenges she faced, I recognise that this statement is not mere exaggeration. Bright, female, dark-skinned and coming from a financially-challenged background, she could have ended up being fodder for bullies in her prestige school.

This was especially true in a time when social class was a determining factor in being successful. However, Gloria Valere her teacher (daughter of Lord Constantine, star cricketer and civil rights advocate) recognised my mother’s abilities and also her obstacles.

At school, Mrs Valere curated an environment that was both educational and nurturing. Her guidance allowed my mother to not only survive but thrive. In every sense of the word, Mr. Valere mentored her.

Artists pass on their skills as a normal rites of passage.

It is said that calypsonian Bomber supported the community of Laventille, Denyse Plummer is remembered as a teacher and pappy Roy Cape was celebrated for his love of passing on knowledge. I have had the privilege to see veterans like Astor Johnson, André Tanker and Ms Roe do the same. Akinola and Alpha Sennon of Siparia Deltones are modern examples.

However, it is a sad reflection of our society that people who mentor others stand out. Rather, should mentorship not be one of the methods we actively engage in to build our country? I also believe that in addition to building self-confidence and practical skills, mentorship should encourage individuality, as Mrs Valere did with my mother, so did Jones P for me.

It was my intention to call him after Christmas, to chat with him about my anniversary article. It was a while since we had talked, but I knew I could call him any time and we could pick up where we left off.

I would have liked one more chat, one more quiet moment of his wisdom. To me, Jones P was the rarest of human beings. Travel well my teacher

Dara E. Healy is a performing artist and founder of the Idakeda Group, a cultural organisation dedicated to empowering communities through the arts.