‘Mi father dead’ - Hanover Eastern residents saddened by D.K. Duncan’s passing

If there was anyone in Hanover Eastern who felt the loss of Dr DK Duncan, it would be 54-years-old John Guthrie, who served as personal driver to Duncan during his stint as the member of parliament.

The People's National Party (PNP) stalwart died yesterday in hospital. Guthrie, a painter by profession, told THE WEEKEND STAR that he spent more than 10 years driving Duncan around, and also carrying out most of his personal chores.

"Mi father dead, mi father dead," Guthrie cried. "Doc a mi father, him a mi fren, him a mi everything, an until now mi cah believe seh him really gone."

He said that he saw Duncan recently in the constituency and they were all joking.

"A tell him seh him look young and fresh as eva, and look like him could do another term," he said. "Doc look pon everyone an laugh, an seh if Johnny seh mi must do another term, mi gwan do another term. When mi get the news this morning seh him dead, mi did a do some work. Mi knee dem get weak an mi hand dem get weak. Mi cuddun move fi hours, until now mi still nervous."

Was the best politican

Guthrie said that he will never get over Duncan's death, because he was the man who made life easier for him on a number of occasions. Duncan, to him, was the best politican.

Derrick Foster, former PNP councillor for the Hopewell division, told THE WEEKEND STAR that Duncan was also a father figure, brother, and mentor to him.

"I met DK in 2007, and one day he told me that he sees me as a person who could be a future political leader. He then took me under his wings and taught me the ropes of being a political representative, and also taught me the entire electoral procedures," Foster said. "Never in my lifetime have I ever seen such a politician. DK knows every inch of the constituency, and could practically tell all the PNP supporters who were on the voters' list in the constituency."

He added, " Everybody loved him, and when I got news of his passing this morning, I was so shocked that I was unable to speak for hours. I don't think Eastern Hanover, and more so, Jamaica, will ever see another individual like Dr Duncan."

Candidate for the division, Sharon James Taylor, also said Duncan was the person who inspired her political career.

"He was the one who motivated me each and every way in becoming a political representative." James Taylor said. "It is very hard running in a division which is mostly won by the Jamaica Labour Party, and so many times I was ready to give up. But DK was always there to cheer me up, inspire me with talk about other successful politicians, and encouraged me to go on."

She said Duncan was the most understanding politician she had ever worked with, and the thought of him being gone has left a void in her heart.