Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Spanish Ambassador Jesús Silva (left) chats with Patrick and Marguerite Lynch at the Slovakia National Day reception, held at Montrose Road, last Friday.

Peter Mihok described it best when he said "short speeches and long sausages".

Mihok is the president of Slovakia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry and said that phrase was his country's motto when having receptions. And since he was speaking at his country's national day reception, no need to break with tradition. The event was hosted by honorary consul to Slovakia (or the Slovak Republic), Chris Issa, at his Montrose Road home.

Investment opportunities

Members of the diplomatic and consular corps, as well as members of the business sector, came to celebrate with the small Slovakian delegation. Slovakia gained independence in 1993, and since then it has become one of eastern Europe's fastest growing economies, the government implementing some eyebrow-raising policies to do so. So the eastern Europeans were in Jamaica looking for investment opportunities.

But that rhetoric is for the boardroom. This reception at poolside was just like Mihok said with Jamaican mento band music to top it off.

Guests included British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell and wife Dr. Barbara Munske, Canadian High Commissioner Denis Kingsley and wife Jo Ann, Senegalese Ambassador Nafissatou Diagne, Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda, Panamanian Ambassador Ricardo Moreno, Ecuadorian Consul Clelia Barreto de Hunter, Honduran Ambassador José Eduardo Norris, Ambassador Douglas Saunders, Sandra Grant-Griffiths, Andrew and Debbie Issa, Ada and Jorge Morales, Robert MacMillan, Ainsley and Marjorie Henriques, Yvon and Cynthia DeSulmé, Rosa Joseph, Eddie Shoucair, Richard and Lisa Chen, William Tavares-Finson and wife Sandy, Irena Cousins, Geoff Brown, Peter Bangerter and Christelle Harris.

Chris Issa welcomes Jennifer Stanigar.

The always elegant trio of (from left) Bernadette Matalon, Marguerite Lynch and Michelle Bovell were out to give support.

Kimberly Mais-Issa (left) shares a moment with Hilary Phillips, Q.C., at the Slovakia National Day reception. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Pan Caribbean's Donovan Perkins (left) talks business with Chris Issa.