Gittens-Joseph is homeward bound

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Jamaica's diplomatic community is a small one, so whenever a member is set to depart, that makes it harder for the remaining ones to say goodbye.

So it is with Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner Yvonne Gittens-Joseph who will be leaving the island after four years. She was guest of honour at a reception hosted by the corps at the residence of Chilean Ambassador Alfredo Garcia. But Ambassador Garcia joked that he just provided the house, the real stars were the high commissioner and dean of the corps, Spanish Ambassador Jesús Silva. Silva lauded Gittens-Joseph for her hard work and for always being there for her colleagues. He joked that being the head of mission from the twin-island republic can be difficult with all the talk of patties and cement, referring to some trade tiffs of recent years. But Gittens-Joseph said that she did not worry about what the press said, as she knew about the "special relationship" between the nations.

High Commissioner Gittens-Joseph said she knew that Jamaica would be like a second home and she was proved right. She said that many people were surprised that she was not only leaving Jamaica (for her tenure seemed short), but also that she was retiring. The high commissioner said that after 30 years in the foreign service (she joined shortly after university), she thought it was time to pursue some personal goals "at my own pace". She expressed sadness at leaving but chuckled, "with technology, you're just an email away."