Jamaica's Ambassador to the US Audrey Marks to step down this month

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the US, Audrey Marks, will be giving up her post at the end of this month, several highly placed government sources have told The Gleaner.

The sources further told The Gleaner that an official announcement should be made today. However, they did not say whether the announcement would come from the Jamaican Embassy in Washington or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

The Gleaner has also been told that a successor to Ambassador Marks has been identified, but the sources would not disclose the name of the person selected.

At a function in Washington DC last Saturday night, Ambassador Marks told the audience at the David Wagga Hunt Scholarship dinner that it would be her last appearance as she would not be in attendance next year.

Ambassador Marks was appointed Jamaica’s 13th ambassador to the United States, the only female to hold the position.

She was first appointed Ambassador in 2010 and served for two years until 2012. She was again appointed ambassador in 2016, a position she has held until now. She is the only person ever to be appointed to the position twice.

Ambassador Marks has also served as Jamaica’s permanent representative to the Organization of American States (OAS).

An entrepreneur by profession, Ambassador Marks started a number of companies in Jamaica. She was the founder of Paymaster Jamaica Limited, an online bill payment system that started in 1997.

She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Business Administration from the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, and Nova University, Florida, USA, respectively.

Ambassador Marks is the recipient of numerous citations and recognition from her peers and various organisations for her pioneering work, entrepreneurial endeavours and commitment to social causes. These include: Ernest & Young Nominee for the 'Caribbean Entrepreneur of the Year 2000'; Business Leader of the Year Award nominee for 2000; and the Florida International University Business Leader of the Year Award for 2003 and 2010.

She was awarded the Order of Jamaica (OJ) last year.

As reports of her leaving spread through the Diaspora, Marks is being praised for her tenure as Ambassador.

Dr Bertram Melbourne from Howard University, who has worked closely with Ambassador Marks, described her as a visionary who has worked to advance Jamaica.

“I enjoyed working with her. She was not afraid to advance Jamaica’s position and was an effective server of her country,” Melbourne told The Gleaner.

He said that he wishes her all the success in the future and said that he knows she will do well in whatever endeavour that she undertakes.

Dr Allan Cunningham, the former Global Diaspora Council Member who also worked closely with Ambassador Marks, called her a “true servant leader".

“Ambassador Marks has represented our nation with pride and distinction. Her ability to unite, inform and inspire Jamaicans in the Diaspora is well appreciated,” he told The Gleaner.

He thanked Ambassador Marks for her service to the Jamaican people in the US Diaspora and said he was confident that she will continue to serve her country in whatever she does.

- Lester Hinds

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