Bon voyage!

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

And so my dears, after a near four-year tour of duty as his country's first citizen here, His Excellency Frederic Meurice, the ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, and his charmingly beautiful wife, Lydie, and their children will officially end their stint here as they take their leave for Algeria on Monday, July 30.

Ambassador Meurice will take up duties there as his country's ambassador to that North African country that is the largest in Africa, and the 10th-largest country in the world.

Indeed, during his tour of duty here, Ambassador Meurice distinguished himself as a cosmopolitan, with a view of the world and a greater understanding of the evolving nature of the world and its geopolitics that commended him to his diplomatic peers and to the many in government, the private sector and on the social circuit, with whom he interacted.

A devoted family man, Jamaica will undoubtedly hold very special memories for them as the couple's third son, Leo, was born here in Kingston. While the birth of their son will add to the treasure trove of memories that the Meurices take with them as they bid their fond adieux, as indeed yet another, is the friendships and bonds they formed during their stay here.

One such bond
of friendship was with the honorary consul of Iceland, philanthropist
and chairman of Jamaica's first advertising agency, raconteur and social
powerhouse, Robert MacMillan; and the honorary consul of Thailand,
entrepreneurial powerhouse and socialite, the iconic Thalia Lyn and her
husband, Capt Michael Lyn.

Well, to celebrate their
friendship and to bid Ambassador and Mrs Lydie Meurice a fond adieu,
Robert MacMillan and Capt Michael and Thalia Lyn hosted a joint farewell
reception in honour of the outgoing ambassador and his family, last
Saturday evening, at the swanky St Andrew residence of Robert MacMillan
that was all that and then some.

BEAUTIFUL
OUTING

We are talking a fabulous outing here,
punctuated by august society and a traditional Jamaican fare, catered by
Island Grill and Patta Cake, whose mini-plantain tarts, cheesecakes,
and crème puffs made for the belle of the ball, but for my word, what a
beautiful outing!

Dears, we are talking the diplomatic
community and snob-society out at sixes and nines here, as friends, and
well-wishers not only gathered to break bread and make merry, as they
toasted the revered diplomat, who during his tenure proved a diplomat
for all seasons, but in regal style that made the occasion a memorable
do.

My dears, we are talking an evening of fine music,
as the multi-talented offspring of musical geniuses Peter Ashbourn and
Rosina Moder-Ashbourn, Joel Moder Ashbourn, was the maestro in concert
here, and he played the concert grand like the consummate professional
and showman that he is, as he entertained with favourites from the
musicals, the classics, and Jamaican contemporary strains, it made for a
truly beautiful affair.

And dears, we do mean
beautiful, as in the pool-deck and bar of Robert MacMillan's
hacienda-styled home was buzzing with the energy of a prime-time
reception, in full social throttle and marvellously so, as the society's
leading socialites and personalities were out and at
ease.

No drama here. No long-winded speeches by the
self-important either, as it simply was not that kind of a party, or not
that kind of a crowd. Indeed, it was a night of the beautiful people,
for the beautiful people and relaxingly so, with the hosts and his
co-hosts, in the brief interlude to acknowledge the raison
d'être, proposed toasts in honour of the outgoing Ambassador
and his family, as well as those guesting, and shared some anecdotal
reverie, that spoke to and underlined the especial nature of the
occasion.

CHARMING DO

Indeed, it was
one very charming do, and nothing but, as guests simply laa-dee-dahed
late into the night, over premium cocktails and basking in each other's
society, with among the many notables out sharing the moments included
The Most Hon Glynne Manley; The Hon Oliver Clarke and wife, Mrs Monica
Ladd and their daughter; Senator Tom Tavares-Finson; dean of the
diplomatic corps, His Excellency Noel Martinez Ochoa, of Venezuela;
British High Commissioner His Excellency Howard and Mrs Jill Drake;
Canadian High Commissioner His Excellency Stephen and Mrs Kathy
Hallihan; Indian High Commissioner His Excellency Mohinder Grover; South
African High Commissioner Her Excellency Mathu Joyini; His Excellency,
Vladimir Polenov, the Russian ambassador; Spanish Ambassador Her
Excellency Celsa Nuño and her husband Alex Crowther; Chilean Ambassador
HE Alfredo Garcia; Brazilian Ambassador HE Dr Antonio DaCosta Silva Neto
and his wife, the lovely Mrs Sylvia Ruschel; HE Ambassador José Tomas
Ares German, of the Dominican Republic; Second in Command of the
Argentinian Embassy Ramon Corvera and his fabulous wife, Mrs Deidre De
Cassia, Soares; Cuban Chargé d'Affaires, Mrs Micaela Ramirez, and
Councillor Marcial Melian; US Embassy Official Gary Rex and his stunning
wife, Mrs Ingrid Rex; Chinese Embassy Official, Kun Xu; Ariel
Fernandez, Embassy of Argentina; Tom and Rowena Connor of the British
High Commission; Monsignor Richard Albert, who invoked celestial
blessings; Fr Samuel Alloggia.

The venerable Mrs Peggy
Blades; Michael Campbell and the elegant Dulcie Moodie; the esteemed
'A-Crowder' Charles Hanna; Celebrated Architect and former hotelier Earl
Levy and his wife, socialite and fashion icon Beverley Junor-Levy;
socialite and celebrated artist Mrs Susan Alexander; Chris Marley;
Sameer Younis, the honorary consul of Suriname and his wife, the fab
Leila Younis; honorary consul of Portugal Paul and Oriente Issa; Everoy
Chin, Honorary Consul of the Philippines; the esteemed Gordon and Diane
Arnold; Capt. David McRae; the lovely Peta-Gaye MacMillan Wong; legal
luminary Harold Brady; Peter and Stacy Milingen; Raymond Clough and
wife, the fab Magdalena Clough; the esteemed Steve Ashley; Maree
Sigurdsson; Leicester and Belinda Levy; Neville Henry; Richard Khouri
and wife the fabulous Simone Khouri; Mike Hirst; Mark and Julie Jones;
William and Sandy Tavares-Finson; Felix Hunter; Andrea
Bickhoff-Benjamin; the lovely Candy DePass; and her sister, the fab
Peta-Gayle McConnell; Doug Brown; the fab Rosa-Maria Josephs; Dr
Jonathan Greenland and wife Dr Rebecca Tortello Greenland and their
daughters; Kelly Tomlin; Rosina Moder-Ashbourne; plus a number of
others.