Sheron Andrea Barnes was called to the Jamaican Bar in 2001 and then worked as a Prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice: First as Clerk of Court in her hometown of Montego Bay, and then as Crown Counsel and Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Public service is not new to this former Journalist and Teacher, having taught at Mt. Alvernia High School in Montego Bay for many years and tutored courses for the UWI’s School of Continuing Studies.

It is however, her career in Journalism for which she is most known (bylines appearing as Sharon Barnes). She entered the field just after graduating from Church Teachers’ College and went from Trainee Journalist to Sub-Editor at the Gleaner’s Western Bureau, Montego Bay, in a few short years. Thereafter Ms. Barnes taught full-time. While pursuing her degree in Mass Communications at the UWI, Mona, she returned to the Gleaner, this time at the famous North Street office, where she was assigned to write for the Sunday Gleaner, under its then editor, Franklin McKnight.

In 1993, Ms Barnes graduated from the UWI with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Upper Second Class Honours, in Mass Communications. She specialized in Print Journalism. To this day, she remains passionate about writing, always having that ‘itch’ for putting pen to paper.

“The dynamism of the language fascinates me, particularly in the local dialect where words and phrases are coined every day and popularized by the lyrics in the dancehall,” she stated. Ms. Barnes says there’s no truth to the old adage that “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never harm me”, for, to her, there is nothing more powerful than words – written and spoken.

On returning ‘home’ to manage the Western Regional Office of the then Jamaica Herald, this Montego Bay High School graduate continued to write extensively and even had a weekly column in that newspaper.

But the ‘study bug’ bit again and she was driven to fulfill a childhood ambition to become a lawyer. With little financial resources, she set off for Barbados, having been accepted as a ‘direct entrant’ to the Law degree programme. Ms Barnes took her nine year old son Luron with her and undertook what would be her greatest challenge.

“It was not easy for me. There were tons of books and authorities to read, and I spent more time studying than I had ever done in my entire life. But my son and I bonded more than we had before and he did exceptionally well in school there.” Her experience at the Norman Manley Law School was no different, “but I was more comfortable as I was home where I had family help and support.”

Ms. Barnes finds the law fascinating and believes that ‘justice’ is no figment of the imagination. “It exists and we must strive to achieve it – at all costs,” she says.

Sheron Andrea Barnes is a life-long member of the Holy Trinity (Anglican) Church in Montego Bay. She enjoys a ‘good book’, loves great music – from classical to dancehall – and enjoys travel.