Dr Neil McGill a true champion

Dear Editor,

The murder of Dr Neil McGill, who not only served as physician for me and other members of my family, but as a close friend and confidant, has hit me for six.

Neil was my friend for over 25 years. It is difficult to find anyone who can compare with him in respect of his warmth, friendliness, humanitarian qualities and kindness, among other things.

I remember when he formed Golden Kickers Football Club in Western St Mary many years ago, and not only outfitted the club, but ensured that all its members were properly looked after in several respects. It was the first time in the history of St Mary’s football that we had seen a club as organised and as professional as this one.

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He went on to become president of the St Mary Football Association, but gave that up after he could no longer bear the tribal tendencies that afflicted the association then, some of which still haunt Jamaica’s football.

The people of Western St Mary in particular always said that Neil, who served as their Member of Parliament between 2002 and 2009, would look after them even if they had no money to settle their medical bills. Money, he would underscore, was largely material, although he understood the need to have the valuable item when it came down to dealing with specific undertakings.

I can remember one afternoon when my mother, daughter and I went to see him as patients. After he had thoroughly examined each of us, I took out my cheque book to settle the bill. Neil would have none of it, and even after I threatened not to return to see him if he did not charge me, he simply said, “Man, just shut your mouth and stop chatting foolishness; I can never charge you or your family. And by the way,” he continued, “you and your family need to come back in two weeks and without that cheque book.”

Neil loved farming, and invested in property in sections of the island, one of which was located close to where he was murdered, as well as St Mary and Clarendon, the parish of his birth.

He also had a special love for women. Real men do. So we must not fool ourselves and pretend that was not for real. He would often go out of his way to ensure that the fairer sex, in particular, got special treatment, more so in terms of medical care, or their welfare.

It is tragic that Neil, a proud graduate of Glenmuir High School, was brutally cut down, on Independence Day – a time when we should all be celebrating our nation’s birthday, instead of seeing one of our heroes being slaughtered.

On July 26, we spoke for over an hour in Port Maria, after the funeral service for former government minister Horace Clarke, and as usual Neil educated me about countless aspects of Jamaican life.

I am not one of those who will call for hanging to resume when there is a high-profile killing. I don’t necessarily believe that hanging will do anything to address our wicked murder rate.

On the contrary, we should concentrate on what Neil would have wanted for this nation he loved so much, and refused to live anywhere else. He wanted to see more economic alternatives, especially for the youth, and a society that respects law and the right of a person to live in peace, one that had the kind of laws that would deter people from committing such a dastardly act as murder.

It’s a pity he was never allowed a chance to see the kind of society he had spent so much time dreaming of, talking about, and working towards.

HG Helps

Kingston 6