Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
Vivian Crawford is literally at the centre of things as he entertains (from left) Ana Martha Engel, Sara Campos Arnoldi, Elke Reinke and Soren Bartol. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
And so, two Mondays ago, His Excellency, The German Ambassador, Jurgen Engel and his lovely wife, Mrs. Ana Engel, opened the doors to their beautifully appointed upper St. Andrew official residence and hosted a charmingly intimate cocktail reception in honour of a visiting delegation of German parliamentarians here on a familiarisation tour, and fact-finding mission.
When one thinks of parliamentarians, the tendency is to think of an ageing bunch of fuddy-duddies, or the irascible types just spoiling for a fight within their own ranks or with their opponents. Here was a delegation of young Germans obviously schooled in the art of politics, but even moreso, in the art of diplomacy. The delegation was not just made up of the leading members of the winning coalition, but also of members of the Christian Democratic Union, their primary opponents, the Social Democrats, and the Greens.
Patriotic
The members of the delegation are collectively known as the Jamaican party back in their homeland because the colours of their respective parties reflect the Jamaican national colours.
Anyway, the average age of the five members of the group was 35. They were led by Dr. Sascha Raab, and included Anton Hofreiter, Monika Hein, Soeren Bartel, Miriam Grusse, and Elke Reinke, whose parliamentary responsibilities include Central America and the Caribbean. Here to strengthen ties between Jamaica and Germany, the group secured audiences with both Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, as well industry leaders and opinion shapers. They also visited a number of agricultural concerns ahead of negotiations between Jamaica and the EU, to familiarise themselves with each other's position on a first-hand basis. There were also visits to Gordon House, German nationals resident here, a few historical sites and a visit to an operating sugar plantation.
Ambassador Jurgen Engel and his wife entertained members of the delegation in truly relaxed and elegant style at their official residence two Monday evenings ago, and it made for a marvellous outing.
A relaxed gathering
No crush of humanity here, just a relaxed gathering, in a relaxed setting made that much more so by the ease with which guests were attended to by the battery of staff on hand, catering to the needs of their charges. And with libations flowing, buttressed by a constant flow of choice Jamaican cocktail platters, you know we are talking a fine outing here. Well my dears, it was like that, and then some.
There was a brief welcome and introduction by the host of the visiting dignitaries and thank you from the leader of the delegation. Visitors and hosts then got down to the business of meeting and greeting each other. Over premium libations and tasty finger foods, the evening passed lightly into night and then it was time to bid fond farewells.
Among the notables spotted were President of the Senate, Senator Dr. Oswald Harding and his charming wife Marigold; Speaker of the Lower Chamber, MP Delroy Chuck; Senator Tom Tavares-Finson and wife Rose; Ambassador Richard Bernal and his wife Margaret; Ambassador Maxine Roberts; The Hon. Oliver Clarke; Head of the EU Delegation Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni; British High Commissioner HE Jeremy Creswell; Canadian High Commissioner HE Denis Kingsley; Belgian Ambassador HE Herman Portacarero; Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy Maria Freidrich-Boerger; Honorary Consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Honorary Consul of Ghana Patrick Lynch; head of Jamaicans For Justice Dr. Carolyn Gomes and Director of Tourism Basil Smith; Donald Foster of Heart Trust; and, Director of the Freiderich Ebert Foundation, the charming Judith Wedderburn.
German Ambassador Jurgen Engel (right) chats with his deputy Maria Friedrich-Boerger and Canadian High Commissioner Denis Kingsley at the reception.
