He was in some degree moved to this by the social and political upheava ls, which began in the late s. In the s, Norman Washington Manley pressed for political independence and social reconstruction:. Democracy in a real sense must mean socialism. For its is that alone that accepts the right of the common man to equality of opportunity in all spheres of life. Grace may well have considered that by leaving Jamaica he would lose little beyond the enjoyment of a declining local comfort and security.
His deeper and more important commitments lay elsewhere. For his successor, Luis Fred Kennedy, the circumstances were very different.
A Jamaican, now the majority shareholder and Governing Director of a growing business founded by his father in association with Dr. Grace, his commitments were here. His main concerns, beyond his family, his Church, and his old school, St. He was, in short, the complete businessman. His antagonisms were directed against those persons or agencies seemingly obstructive to his business. He challenged, from time to time, all kinds at all levels: Alexander Bustamante, the Food Controller, the Trade Controller, his colleagues in the Chamber of Commerce, the Governor, the Port Authority, and, with equal vigour, his rivals in business.
Hard working and competitive, he disliked intensely any sort of controls inhibiting commerce; but, to continue in Mr. He might find himself, temporarily, in the limelight, but he was not drawn to it either by predilection or any perceived responsibility to be there.
He must fancy he is Mr. That is Mr. The s were hard years for Jamaica. Our wide open economy, heavily dependent on imports of manufactured goods of all kinds and certain basic foodstuffs, felt the effects of international economic instability in In the same year, following the Arab-Israeli war, oil prices escalated enormously and remained high even after production recovered. The cost of those programmes became increasingly onerous as more and more revenue had to be spent on goods and service from abroad.
Moreover, though many of the new programmes were splendid in conception, they suffered from lack of proper managerial control and accountability. Despite the strengthening of foreign exchange controls and the institution of import quotas, licences and prohibitions in the seventies, the balance of payments continued to deteriorate. Emphasis was given to the encouragement of greater use of local products; but this was as an unfamiliar call on a population long accustomed to exhortations to produce for export so that Jamaica might continue to import necessities.
As scarcities and hardships increased, so did political party rivalry, exacerbated by the deliberate shift in the foreign policy of the PNP. The whole course of Jamaican life since the nineteenth century had been influenced by increasingly close relationships with North America, and, in particular, with the United States.
The rapid development of transport and the communications media had brought American goods, American music, and American lifestyles into the awareness of Jamaicans, both urban and rural.
By the end of the decade, moved by high prices, scarcities, and general resentment of an apparently increasing Cuban presence and influence in the island, the mass of Jamaicans, unable or unwilling to follow the well-to-do trail to America, made their local move by deserting the PNP. After a prolonged and bloody election campaign in which hundreds lost their lives, the PNP was defeated in the General Elections of , and the JLP returned to power.
Again, circumstances had altered. He had to protect the business in times of scarcity of foreign exchange, managerial flight, violent political rivalry and uncertainty of life, and while there was decreasing confidence abroad in the future stability of Jamaican institutions. There can be little doubt that Kennedy in his most active years would have met wider challenges such as those Alexander faced with equal determination.
His life was a life dedicated not only to the success of his company, but to the well being of his country and his fellowman. An in all his greatness, there was humility.
We firmly and irrevocably believe in the profit motive and free enterprise and we hold a strong belief that the profit must be the main motivation in all business undertakings.
We do not subscribe to the belief that all profits belong to the shareholders. The shareholder is entitled to his share, which he receives in the form of dividends and a portion being reinvested in the company for future growth.
The employee must receive his fair remuneration for his service and must share in some form of profit distribution. The needs and demands of the community must receive attention and the Company must be prepared to assist financially and, through its people, to fulfil the community needs. In this way we can build the community and contribute towards the creation of useful citizens. We must also ensure that the needs of our customers are fulfilled.
It was a perfectly clear exposition. The ultimate objective was profit. But profit could be achieved only through the loyalty of staff, the goodwill of the community, and the satisfaction of customers. George Phillip as the head. In September of that year the first issue of the Grace News made its appearance.
The timing was important. As we have seen, the Company had already, from time to time, initiated measures intended to hold the loyalty of the staff. The success of these is adequately illustrated in the extracts from the two letters quoted below. So, too, is the recognition of the Head of the Company as the individual largely responsible for the benefits bestowed.
This first is from Mr. Prior to joining GraceKennedy I worked in the U. Fred Kennedy [i. Luis Fred Kennedy], followed by Mr. Carlton Alexander, through this era, became the greatest company for me, both here and abroad. From my experience as an employee, no other company to my knowledge, that once an employee remains an employee even after retirement. I am a retiree now fifteen 15 years, receiving the same benefits including medical attention as present employees enjoy.
In I underwent an eye operation that kept me away from work for nine months, and every month a pay cheque was brought to my house by my immediate Boss. During my fifteen years with the company there was never s strike in any of the Departments. If any employee had a grouse, which his immediate Boss failed to solve, Mr. Fred Kennedy would be quite willing to entertain such an employee. I was not aware that you the Co. I can tell you that I certainly enjoyed the 60th along with my children.
I pray every day for God to bless Grace factory and keep it going on forever. I was a very hard worker and sometimes when I look back on the pages of life I remember I have to laugh.
About 6 or 8 of us working on the Guava Jelly line went on sick leave. When we all came back Miss Tenn says it must be an Epidemic break out so we must all go to the Health Office so we were all out till we got the results about 2 weeks.
That was at the old factory. Life was very rough…. I had to walk and run to work. Two co-workers use to pass me in the bus use to tell me that my foot going to drop off…. Thank God my foot did not drop off. Above all I still get the Benefits. I can go to the Dr. If I had my life to live over I would work all over with Grace and I hope the young will follow and I do hope the new Chairman [Rafael Diaz] will walk in the late Carlton Alexander footsteps.
He says we must hold hands and walk that extra mile. Five hundred and sixty-one employees attended. They represented various categories of staff: messengers, storemen, maintenance personnel, factory workers, canteen staff, and others. There have been subsequent similar exercises, but though they may be held may be regularly, they obviously cannot be held frequently. One answer was the Grace News. Laudatory of Company leaders, exhortatory to employees, encouraging of friendly rivalries between the various Divisions and Companies of the Group in productive efforts, in sports, and in other activities, and informative of the achievements of the Group, of its constituent Companies, and of individual employees at all levels, Grace News, as the organ of the HRDD, was designed to provide some of the necessary additional cohesion.
There have been times of doubt. The Grace News has not always appeared with regularity, and the editorial column of Vol. V in sought an explanation:. If this is so, it augurs badly for the morale and overall performance of the Group. As the invitation went:. That is where you can how total togetherness can change a dull moment into the best thing that happened to you.
It was bases at the old Wembley Club on Dunoon Road. The opening activity had been a cricket match -Jamaica Rums vs. Merchandise Division. Neither Captain Bradie Hale Rums nor Carlton Alexander Merchandise was able to give a clear account of scores or result of the game, or indeed whether there had been any result.
Hence Mr. It was to be a Supermarket for Staff where, at concessionary prices, they would be able to buy foodstuffs, haberdashery, and indeed, almost anything from the Grace cornucopia. Perhaps following this super-sale, Anthony Synmoie of the Complaints Department, Merchandise Division, penned his lines:. The combination of principled leadership, loyal staff and data-driven decision-making have developed a diversified business that today includes banking and financial services, remittances, insurance, manufacturing, retail and distribution.
The company has adjusted its focus from being a Jamaican food company to being an international food and financial services conglomerate serving Jamaicans across the globe, as well as people from other countries who share in the delight of the high-quality products and world-class services for which the company is known.
GraceKennedy's presence is not only felt in the Caribbean, Europe and North America, but is growing rapidly in Africa, the ancestral home of most Jamaicans. Without doubt, GraceKennedy will continue to impact positively on the lives of Jamaicans as it closes in on an illustrious century.
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