Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
Director of Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Sandra Grant-Griffiths (left), updates Malaysian Ambassador, Zainol Omar, and his wife, Rusamelia, on all the happenings. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
There is a certain time every year when friends from the diplomatic circles involving Jamaica all get together.
Diplomatic Week is a series of meetings and forums for the heads of missions who are assigned to Jamaica, and it got rolling with a reception at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, Monday evening. The week provides an opportunity for the non-resident ambassadors and high commissioners to meet those based here and get first-hand knowledge of what the island is like.
Meet and greet
The reception in The Jamaica Pegasus gardens was just the first in a series of events that marked another packed week for the diplomats.
Even Their Excellencies, the most honourable Prof. Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Hall, wasted no time in getting to meet the diplomats along with Prime Minister Bruce Golding. The Jamaica Constabulary Force band took care of the guests musical needs.
Guests out included Belgian Ambassador Herman Portocarero and wife, Miriam; Cuban Ambassador Gisela Garcia, and husband, Jorge Crespo; Dominican Republic Ambassador Filomena Navarro; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda; French Ambassador Francis Hurtut; Canadian High Commissioner, Denis Kingsley, and wife, Jo'Ann; St. Kitts and Nevis High Commissioner, Cedric Harper, and wife, Barbara; Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner, Yvonne Gittens-Joseph; John Issa, and daughter, Zein Issa-Nakash; House speaker Delroy Chuck; Sandra Grant-Griffiths; Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne; Dr. Christopher Tufton; Ambassador Douglas Saunders; Ambassador Dr. Matthew Beaubrun; Ueli Bangerter; Kenny Benjamin; Arthur Williams; Dr. Ronald Robinson; Norma Harrack, Lois Grant and Wilton Dyer.
Argentine Ambassador Mario Pino (right), and Ambassador Paul Robotham (second right), from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, greet new Chilean Ambassador to Jamaica Alfredo Garcia, and his wife, Luz Santamaria.
What's up? This might be what head of the European Union delegation in Jamaica, Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni (second right) is asking Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Dr. Ken Baugh, and wife, Vilma (second left). Looking on is the ambassador's wife, Fiela.
