Our AGM is fast approaching! A very important item on the agenda is the selection of our new executive. Today we feature the third Presidential candidate vying for your vote to lead the association. ----------------------------- Candidate: Capt. Basil Jarrett Civil Military Cooperation and Media Affairs Officer of the Jamaica Defence Force Gentlemen, I am hereby announcing my intention to run for President of the Jamaica College Old Boys Association. I realise however that despite sharing a common lineage back to 189 Old Hope Road, I do need to formally introduce myself to you, in order to demonstrate my credentials and motivation for running for the post. Please stop and take a read. I know its a bit lengthy but i did not have the time to write a shorter one. By the way, all and any feedback will be appreciated. Thank you PRELUDE The Jamaica College Old Boys Association will be having its Annual General Meeting on Saturday November 20, 2013 at the newly built auditorium on the school grounds. Paramount among the matters to be discussed/settled at the AGM, is the election of a new president and a new executive to build on the success of the previous administrations, and chart a path for even greater achievement going forward. But while the occasion presents a renewed opportunity to lift the Association, its members and ultimately the school to unimagined heights, let’s not kid ourselves; the job is a difficult one. Whoever takes over the ship must address the problem of dwindling patriotism, low member participation, an apathetic old boys network, limited funding and the perceived irrelevance of the association. That new leader must be innovative and imaginative in addressing these problems, while simultaneously putting his muscle behind the effort to solve the deeper problems of academic under-achievement and still worryingly poor levels of discipline which threaten to derail the process of JC’s rebirth. As concerned Old Boys, passionate about our Alma Mater, I am sure that we all share these sentiments and want to see JC returned to the number 1 spot in academics, sports and all other aspects of High School life. We all have visions and ideas of what that place looks like, but what is needed is a thorough, well informed, strategically sound plan of action, without which, all we have is rum talk and Facebook rants, the latter of which I too am wholly guilty. INTRODUCTION Before I share with you, the shared vision and the strategic plan that my team and I have assembled, allow me to formally introduce myself to you. I am Capt Basil Hugh Jarrett and I am the Civil Military Affairs Officer of the Jamaica Defence Force. I started JC in September 1986 and by the time I left in 1993, I had captained both the Schools Challenge Quiz and Basketball Senior teams in my final year. To be honest, those accomplishments look better on paper than they really were as I had exceptionally talented team-mates to do the donkey-work, while I basked in the glory simply by being the senior man on both teams. But I digress. My years at JC were the best 7 years of my life. I literally wept when the curtains came down that June, but the fanatic patriotism and un-ending loyalty that was cultivated in me over those 7 years, is still very much a part of who I am today. QUALIFICATIONS After JC, I attended the UWI (Mona) and received a BA(Hons) in 1996 in Mass Communications. I worked for a number of years in the field of Advertising and Communications before moving to the US in 1999 to study at Long Island University in New York City. I completed an MBA (Marketing) in 2001 and followed up with an MA (Corporate Communication) from Baruch College, also in New York. In 2004, I returned to Jamaica where I was a lecturer in the Communication Studies Department and Business School at Northern Caribbean University and the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTECH) respectively. I left Jamaica in 2007 to begin a PhD in Communication Technology and Innovation Management at Cass Business School, City University, London, UK but in 2009, a love for the military and the impending birth of my son, Jace C., saw me returning to Jamaica and joining the Jamaica Defence Force in this current capacity. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE Without a doubt, my advanced studies overseas, coupled with my professional training and experience have given me the leadership skills and the strategic level thinking and planning abilities necessary to lead the Association. But perhaps the single most significant post that I’ve held in relation to this position, is Assistant to the Director of Alumni Relations at Long Island University, while a student there. In my two years in that position, I was exposed to the various methods employed by the University to achieve set strategic objectives related to membership, participation, sponsorship, endowments, merchandising, communication and visibility; in short, I not only know what needs to done, but I also know how it can and should be done. LIU has nowhere near the level of patriotism and affiliation that JC has, yet we were able to achieve yearly increases and improvements in those key areas. THE OPUS PROJECT Upon my return to Jamaica in 2004, I approached and presented then President of the Association, Dwayne Lue-Fung with a report I had written and entitled, The Opus Project: Repositioning and Re-Purposing The Jamaica College Old Boys Association. The Opus Project was a result of my inherent dedication to JC, combined with the skills, know-how and exposure that I gained at LIU’s Alumni Relations Office. The plan made a number of proposals, some of which were implemented, some shelved, and some discarded altogether. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of the Opus Project was the adoption of the concept, “TRUE BLUE”. True Blue was my answer to “Fortis” and “Rabalac” and I believe I can safely say it has been an overwhelming success, finally giving JC supporters a strong, definitive rallying cry to identify with and to get behind. THE WAY FORWARD Recently, I dug up and revisited the Opus Project and realized that nine years later, the problems that it was designed to address are still very much present; subscription is still low, membership is still lagging, the Association still suffers from a perception of “us” vs “them” and there is still much to be done to impact the lives of current students who are the old boys of tomorrow. I am now in the process of updating and revising the Opus Project in order to capture and reflect more of today’s realities. But its substance is still relevant and applicable. I expect to complete the revisions over the coming days and will deliver to you as the platform on which I will be basing my presidency. An important point to note is that the revisions are not being done in a vacuum. I have assembled a team of bright, vibrant, imaginative and energetic Old Boys who are passionate and eager to bring their talents to the Association and to move JC forward. This team includes experienced members of the current Executive including Mr. Leon Fraser, Treasurer and Mr. Fray Ellis, the Association’s current 1st Vice President. Long serving member at the executive tier, Mr. Hylton Dennis has also pledged his support, as well as Mr. Utel Carter, a young, genuinely passionate, old boy with a big vision for JC. Mr. Ian Andrews who really needs no introduction has also registered his support. We have refined The Opus Project to include what we see as the main issues to be addressed currently. It will therefore outline the objectives we have set, and will present a working plan to get us there. CONCLUSION Jamaica College is a great institution with a great past. Admittedly, we fell down a bit in recent years but we are now on our way to restoring that former glory. But far too often, we are left outnumbered at sporting events, invisible and voiceless in discussions about academic excellence, and stuck in the past when we need to look for examples of greatness at the college. JC needs us to step up, get involved and to keep the work burning in the fields at 189 Old Hope Road. Thank you.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 02:17:27 +0000
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