It's going to be party non-stop till midnight Tuesday as Jamaicans and Caribbean nationals in North America will be pulling out all the stops to celebrate with the United States as it inaugurates its first black president, Barack Obama, on January 20.

Obama, who was elected in a landslide victory over the Republican nominee, John McCain, on November 4, will become that nation's 44th president.

Students, scholars and government officials from the Caribbean will join millions from around the globe in Washington, DC, to witness the historic moment.

Embassy closed for business

The Jamaican Embassy will definitely be closed for business on Tuesday not only because employees will want to share in the history of the moment, but because of the millions of people who will journey to Washington for the inauguration.

"Every day you hear they will be blocking off this road and that road so you won't be able to get in," Jamaica's ambassador to the United States, Anthony Johnson, told The Gleaner.

"Some of the government facilities will have the day off and give that day a special holiday," he said. "So most employees will not be going to work."

But for some Jamaicans in the diaspora, like Philip Mascoll, a celebration at home will have to do.

"Listen, I buy a 42-inch plasma TV because of that!" exclaimed Mascoll, educator and immediate past president of the Jamaican Diaspora all the way in Canada.

"I mean, when I see it on sale, me say: 'This is the inauguration TV man.' I think I going to go see more on the plasma than they are going to see in Washington," he continued.

Prepare to celebrate

Barack Obama's stepmother, Kezia Obama, is escorted through London's Heathrow Airport on her way to Washington, yesterday, where she will watch her stepson become the new president of the United States. The grandmother, who now lives in Britain, and was once married to Obama's late Kenyan-born father, said she was looking forward to the celebrations in Washington. - Ap

He said because the United States is so close to Canada, people are preparing to celebrate as if they were inaugurating their own president.

There are planned parties in all of Toronto as the world ushers out the unpopular George Bush administration and rings in a promise of hope. Some Jamaicans in Canada will even be flying to Washington, DC, to be part of history.

"Admittedly, Obama cannot do very much for the individual [Canadian], but just the fact that we have all lived to see a person of colour become president of the United States. I think this is a victory for the whole world," Mascoll underscores.

New Yorkers, like Jamaican Gregory Smith, will be flying to Washington, DC, to carve his little space in history. Starting today, he will attend a weekend-long national service in Washington and, on Tuesday, he will be at the inauguration ceremony.

"Tuesday, I will be in live and living colours!" exclaimed Smith, who was an Obama staff member during the Democratic primaries in New York last year.

In the US capital, Washington, DC, there will be parties, parties and more parties as the Caribbean diaspora let loose from Thursday straight into Tuesday.

Carib nationals perform

Popular Caribbean artistes, such as veteran reggae singer Cocoa Tea, soca queen Alison Hinds and David Rudder, are among the slew of Caribbean entertainers set to vibe up Washington, DC, from as early as today in parties and concerts all across the city.

Cocoa Tea, who has already written and recorded a song, Barack Obama, in tribute to the United States' 44th president, will kick things off tonight at Zanzibar on the Waterfront in Washington, DC.

But the big night will be on Sunday at the Chevrolet building, as some of the Caribbean performers fly in to party with Caribbean people in the diaspora.

"As far as the Caribbean event is concerned, this is the biggest in Washington for the inauguration," says Trinidadian Learie Bruce.

People are expected to fly from every state and even from the Caribbean just to attend this party.

But on Tuesday, many will be staying home to watch the inauguration on television, while others will walk into Washington, DC, to see history unfold.

The Jamaican High Commission will not be left out of the parties. Apart from official functions which it must attend, the embassy will host a reception on its premises. The reception is being organised by award-winning Hollywood and Jamaican actress Sheryl-Lee Ralph.

"The Caribbean community is overjoyed and those who are non-Caucasian are thrilled. All intellectuals are just pleased because the election of an Afro-American shows that there is large percentage of people who are willing and ready to lead the country," Ambassador Johnson said.

"Everybody believes he will be a very bright man," he added.

Jamaicans in the diaspora on obama inauguration