Avia Collinder, Gleaner Writer

Dad stands tall.

Long before he did counselling psychology at the master's level, George Ramocan, businessman and father of four, had already mastered the basics of fatherhood, learning from the lessons in his own childhood times among 11 siblings raised by ministers of the Gospel.

These were principles, he says, that he, along with wife Lola Ramocan, was able to apply in raising his children - daughters Bonita, Merika, Juette and son Eliud - some of whom in their teen years provided him with enough challenges to write a textbook.

Juette Ramocan, the youngest girl and artist in the family (educated at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts), whose lovely ceramics now grace many corners of the family home in St Andrew, told Outlook, "My dad's talent, was being able to listen and understand me. It takes a lot of talent, since I wasn't born with a manual."

According to George Ramocan, he got to know Juette's friends so well that when she acted up at school, he was able to call the whole crew in and request their input in how best to respond to the challenges facing his artistic and enterprising daughter.

Juette was pleased by the attention, he said, and later was to become the mature woman that he wanted her to be.

valuable lessons

Juette Ramocan told Outlook, "The things that I appreciate about my dad are the lectures that he would give me. Sometimes he thought I did not listen but I remember every word, as well as his concern about my spirituality."

The baby of the family, Eliud Ramocan, has just completed his MBA in management and technology at the Mona School of Business. At 22 years old, he is the only one who remains in Jamaica - the others residing in the United States. He told Outlook that his dad is "someone who is very authentic".

"He is really a leader who is exemplary, both in his private and public life. I like that about him."

Eliud had also been impressed by his father's experiences while growing up. "He had to cut school in ninth grade to help his family. In life, he has really used his personality and basic skills to move up into business, the Senate and church life, which I believe is the highest calling. He is a visionary and, although he is a leader, he is very humble and malleable. You can criticise him and he takes it constructively and changes for the better."

a blessing

George Ramocan is not terrified by the idea that he might end up with none of his children living in Jamaica.

Now that all his children have reached the stage of independence, the father told Outlook that he feels a sense of "reaching a point I have dreamt and longed for, which is to see the children reach a stage where they all are responsible adults and can help themselves. This is really a blessing - to have children and to see them accomplish their goals."

The Ramocans' eldest child is Bonita Ramocan Dunwell, who possesses an MBA and is currently pursuing a doctorate in behavioural management. The second is Merika, who is a mass communication graduate of the University of the West Indies, and third is Juette.

George Ramocan with grandson Haniel. - Contributed

George Ramocan, parent of four, has fatherhood down to a science. - Photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer