Candlelight vigil held in honour of PNP member Mears

Persons from all parts of the socio-economic spectrum converged at Mears’ business establishment at Gutters, three miles east of the Old Harbour, St Catherine, where numerous tributes were given in memory of a man who gave much to the communities of St Catherine South West.

Up to the time of his death on March 29 – following to a massive heart attack – Mears was the PNP’s constituency chairman for St Catherine South West, a position he has held since 2014.

Many well known figures in the opposition party were present at the vigil, each memoralising their fallen Comrade’s contribution to the people and political machinery.

Executive member of the PNP and former member of parliament of this said constituency Jennifer Edwards described Mears as a valuable asset to the party. 

Edwards, who defeated Everald Warmington in the 1997 general elections, said: “As a former member of south west St Catherine, I would say that we have lost one of the greatest persons who have come forward to represent this constituency in a long time.

“The PNP leadership and the executive want to say to south west St Catherine we have lost someone in whom we had the confidence that he would bring home south west St Catherine on behalf of the Peoples’ National Party.

“Ruddy Mears’ stick-to-itiveness, vision, his purposefulness, his organizing skills, his people skills were all recognised by the executive. His candidacy was never under review. He was the candidate and he was the person who we’d expected to be the Member of Parliament representing the people of south west St Catherine on behalf of the Peoples’ National Party. We mourn his loss. We regret to hear of his death.”

Before Edwards took to the stage, Scean Barnswell, PNP councillor for the Hayes Division in Clarendon, says Mears was truly a committed supporter.

“Comrade Mears is somebody who was very committed to the cause. He was always present at any and every executive meeting. He was always willing and able to get the political work done which was assigned to him,” he said. “He was always willing to give support to any call, any cause. So (with) his passing, we have lost a great man. His pass has created a void in the Peoples’ National Party and moreso in south west St Catherine.”

With Mears wife Dahlia and two sons – Rudyard Mears Jnr and Michael present, former St Catherine East Central MP Arnaldo Brown urged mourners to remain united and strong.

“I know that this is a very painful and hard loss,” said Brown. “I had to come here tonight because Comrade Ruddy Mears wasn’t just a Comrade of mine; he was a friend of mine.

He added: “We have to remain strong, we have to remain courageous, we have to remain hopeful and we have to continue the work of Comrade Ruddy Mears in this particular area.”

Among the many who also showed up to pay their respect to the renowned businessman, who grew up in Island Farm, were Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters who knew Mears long before his journey into the political arena.

“Generally speaking, not any politics now, but from way back in the days, starting from the Old Harbour football team, we have been friends from then. Even when he entered politics, nothing has changed, we have remained friends,” Steve Graham, JLP councillor for the Old Harbour Central Division, told Old Harbour News. 

“So I’m here tonight giving my support to Mr. Mears and his family. He’s my friend and I have to be here tonight. Condolences to the family; Mr. Mears will be missed. Different from the politics we always stop whenever we see each on the road, talking football and other things. And God’s willing I’ll be at the funeral and the setup.”