It is now history since Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake vacated the chair of the Police Officers’ Association, and said that the incumbent chairman, Senior Superintendent of Police Wayne Cameron, would no longer be granted audience with the high command of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (commissioner and his deputies), and would not be allowed to represent the force outside of official duties.

Cameron sought legal redress and got an ex parte injunction to stop the commissioner from having his way.

A judge of the Supreme Court also granted a stay of implementation of the measures outlined by the top cop, warning of potential imprisonment on Blake’s part if the court’s orders were not followed. A judicial review was also set for October 8.

So, whether or not the move to push Cameron away was justified will be decided by the court soon. And we wait.

On the surface, it would seem that the commissioner acted in a high-handed manner in taking the actions that he did. For having made my checks in respect of the regulations of the Police Officers Association, he had no such authority. 

While I am aware too that the constabulary is not a kindergarten, it appears quite odd that the commissioner chose not to have an audience with Cameron, when, as big men, they could have sat down and discussed whatever problems there were.

Many of the details of that matter are missing, but, as I have stated, the court will decide.

When I first heard the matter on a Nationwide newscast, I was almost stunned, and began to speculate right away, as I am aware of an ongoing defamation suit filed by Cameron against Nationwide News Network, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It followed a news item carried by Nationwide, saying, among other things, that Cameron was spotted at a location supposedly having a drink with members of his police team while a curfew was in place. Cameron denied the claim, hence the lawsuit.

I have met the commissioner twice, on both occasions in his capacity as deputy commissioner. He was very welcoming and seemed quite reasonable. I learned later that he was steeped in information technology and was one of the shining lights in the field.

I also know Cameron, whom I met while he served the Constabulary Communication Network (now CCU) under the stewardship of James Forbes and later Steve Brown, although many years have passed since we made contact.

I am also aware that both Dr Blake and Cameron were trained at Mico Teachers’ College and may have joined the constabulary around the same time, so there would have been even a sense of a sober relationship during those times.

What could have soured the relationship remains the million-dollar question, and now I wonder if there can be any chance of a reconciliation.

I have seen hints of the word ‘politics’ being used to suggest that there might have been campaigning done by senior officers during the last general election. It is nothing strange for police personnel to take political sides. I saw it in my journeys during the lead-up to the vote on September 3, 2025, and before that. You would not believe who some of the characters were.

Anyway, October 8 will be a crucial day in the life of the well-aged Jamaica Constabulary. The good thing is that the Jamaican judiciary is in solid hands, and will, I am sure, make the right decisions in the interest of justice and fair play. 

‘Skill’ Cole’s death a massive blow

The recent death of Jamaica’s greatest footballer, Allan ‘Skill Cole was one of the saddest moments in my life.

We had a solid friendship that stretched beyond 40 years and what a joy it was to have learned so many things from the man we called ‘Maestro’.

Death is always too final, too devastating, and Cole’s was even more depressing, as we had spoken every day for three weeks leading up to the general election, sometimes up to three times a day … Cole wanting to know everything that he could, about what was happening ‘on the ground’.

We even made contact three days before he became ill and was rushed to the hospital.

As a boy growing up, the names Herbert ‘Dago’ Gordon, Neville Oxford, Devon ‘Roots’ Lewis, Edward ‘Johnny Cool’ Dawkins, Donald ‘Billy’ Perkins, Howard ‘Juicy’ Bell, Delroy ‘Mutty’ Scott, Vester Constantine, Orville Edwards, Kenneth ‘Bop’ Campbell, Archie Reid, Lascelles Shaw, Arthur Lattimore, Henry Largie, Syd Bartlett, Ken East, David Largie, and others were quite popular. But one stood out – that of Allan ‘Skill’ Cole. He was definitely far ahead of the rest.

I later got to see the things that Allan was able to do with the ball, and they will live with me forever.  He was the best Jamaican player that I have ever seen.

A brilliant student of mathematics, he represented Kingston College on the junior, or Colts team, led by Neville Oxford, right after he joined the school in 1962 in form 1B. An indiscretion on his part less than two years later led to the then principal Douglas Forrest arranging a transfer for him to Campion College, where he spent about a year and a half, before he headed to Vere Technical High School in 1965. At Vere, he made his most profound mark as a schoolboy.

He scored 38 goals in his first year of daCosta Cup football, and became a part of history as the second youngest schoolboy to make the Jamaica team, wearing the number 8 jersey at age 15 years and four months. That was when injury sidelined regular forward Oscar Black, who holds the distinction of scoring Jamaica’s first World Cup qualification goal in 1965, as Jamaica, under Brazilian coach Jorge Penna, tried to qualify for the 1966 World Cup in England.

David Sanguinetti of Calabar High still holds the record for the youngest player to represent Jamaica, at age 15 years and three months.

Oxford (16 years, one month), and Lloyd McLean, the latter also from KC, at age 16 years and two months, were among the youngest Jamaica debutants in 1964.

Cole was the second Jamaican to have been offered a contract to play professional football in the Brazilian league, behind Oxford, whose mother decided that he was too young at age 16 to be on his own.

In his days at Santos Football Club, his one season at Boy’s Town, and long after he returned from playing and coaching in Ethiopia, he landed at Port Morant United in St Thomas, where a broken leg in a match at Land Top in the parish, sentenced him to playing Master’s League football.

He remains the only man whom I have seen score so many goals from the corner flag. 

As a close friend and former road manager of legendary reggae great Bob Marley, ‘Skill’ once told me that Bob said if he (Bob) could play football as well as ‘Skill’, he would not sing.

‘Skill’ wrote three songs for Bob, including the hit ‘War’, but it was football that he will be best remembered for.

His passing is a humongous loss. Those roots and herbs that he usually arranged for me to fight the flu or ease a pain will come no more.

Seville’s lesson of discipline and grit

Oblique Seville learned to run his fastest race in the semi-final of the World Athletics Championships. The result: Victory! 

That 9.77s personal best time over 100 metres by the former Calabar High School star was enough for him to land his first gold medal at a major championship. And what a crack field he defeated. 

The man who was widely expected to take the gold, Kishane Thompson, must have been eyeing a vehicle from Silver Star Motors, for again, he flopped when it seemed that he was all ready for the big time.

My awful gut feeling set in again when Thompson jogged to victory in his first round heat in 9.95 seconds…ok, it was the first event. No sweat. He will step it up in the semi-final when I expected him to floor the accelerator. But he again jogged to the line with American Kenny Bednarek at his side to be given the same 9.85-second time as Bednarek for second.

So, by the time Thompson decided to go flat out in the final, his body just did not respond, and he ended up second for an average time of 9.82 seconds by his standard.

By contrast, Seville had to run hard over all three of his races. Left in the block in the heats, he had to dig deep, go full blast to qualify for a minor placing; he later dropped the gauntlet in the semi-final, and it was natural that the man with the momentum would triumph.

It was a remarkable performance by Seville – a clear demonstration of grit and determination.

Classy Clayton, extra special Fraser Pryce

Legend and the Present pic.twitter.com/jWjdedYCZW

— Kads (@kadeen__) September 14, 2025

Few expected Tina Clayton to be on the medal podium in the 100 metres at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo, Japan. She silenced them all.

Her 10.76 personal best time ensured that she pushed herself further towards the top of the ladder of greatness. The ‘promising’ road has been resurfaced. For her now, it is time to set all doubts aside and think big.

No matter the loss of the ultimate prize of the gold medal to American Melissa Jefferson Wooden, whose mouth-watering time of 10.61 seconds shut many up, Clayton must now be spoken of as having thrust herself into the extra-fast lane of success.

Shelly Fraser Pryce, to my mind Jamaica’s best ever woman sprinter, told the world to look out for Clayton’s growing greatness. And she, who finished sixth in her last international individual race for Jamaica, must also be commended for the burden that she has carried for a proud nation for two decades.

It was good stuff all over.