Ambassador Nuño pulls out all the stops

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

It is easily one of the most anticipated celebrations on the Jamaican social calendar. And little wonder here as, indeed, the event, has evolved into a spectacular outing, showcasing the very best of its people, culture and culinary delights. And this, my dears, in a mode and manner that has made this occasion one of the preferred events on the diplomatic circuit!

We are talking about the annual Spanish National Day celebrations, my dears, hosted under the auspices of Her Excellency Celsa Nuño, the Spanish ambassador to Jamaica, and her husband, bon vivant and raconteur Alex Crowther, himself, a retired member of the South African Diplomatic Corps.

Indeed, for many, when Ambassador Nuño arrived in Jamaica nearly three years ago, to succeed Ambassador Jesús Silva, there were many who questioned her capacity to fill his shoes as, indeed, Ambassador Silva was quite the leading light in the diplomatic community, who put Spain and Spanish interest and culture front and centre of the national dialogue, social scene, and business. Today, on reflection and evaluation, those who were concerned about the ability of Ambassador Nuño to be as effective or more so than her predecessor, must now be squirming in discomfort as my luvs, Ambassador Nuño has proven she is no shrinking violet, but equal to the task and surpassing whatever limitations placed on her by expectations!

Spanish interests

And so it was my dears, that with time, Ambassador Celsa Nuño - with the support of her staffers of the Spanish Embassy; The Spanish Jamaican Foundation and the many Spanish business interests here in Jamaica, have not only sought to keep Spanish interest here visible; but have undertaken an extensive programme that has seen a renewed growth, energy, and interest in all things Spanish.

Indeed, over the years, since taking up duties here, Ambassador Nuño has been tireless in her efforts in re-establishing and cementing the historical and cultural linkages that bind Jamaica and Spain, and in this respect, has been buttressing Brand Jamaica, driven by her commitment to the promotion of the noble idea that, if Jamaica were to fully avail itself of the possibilities available to it, by fully embracing Spanish as its second language, then she (Jamaica) would be better able to take advantage of the areas of corporation and trade that abound with her Spanish-speaking neighbours!

In this respect, since her arrival, Ambassador Celsa Nuño hit the ground running, and each year, fittingly so, the annual Spanish National Day Celebration has become the signature style event, celebrating the very best of Spain, and with the gusto and flavour for which Spanish nationals are celebrated globally!

Well, my darlings, this year was no different. As it has been for decades now, last Thursday, October 10, it rained a thunderstorm. This, however, like previous years, would not prove a deterrent to those specially invited.

The location was the Mona Visitors' Lodge, on the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, and dears, the hall was a beauty to behold, streaming as it was with the Spanish national colours, along with accent pieces bistro tables and a countless number of food stations, staffed and supplied by the leading Spanish hotel chains that now augment Jamaica's tourism
industry!

And dears, we are talking resplendent
splendour here and nothing but, in magisterial style and then some, on
what was clearly a very grand occasion. But when the national anthems of
both Spain and Jamaica were performed on violins by Jamaica's virtuoso
Colin Woodham and deputy head of mission in the Spanish Embassy Victoria
Tur, herself a trained concert violinist, you know we are talking the
whole enchilada here!

A night of beauty

And so
it was, my dears, a night of beauty in music and a gastronomic feast
beyond compare for the beautiful people, but especially
Spaniards.

Among the dignitaries and leading
personalities out, were: Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator A.J.
Nicholson; MP Delroy Chuck and wife Patricia; MP Mikael Phillips and his
companion, the fabulous Shelly Hendrickson; Chief Justice Zaila McCalla
and husband William; former Governor General Sir Kenneth and Lady Hall;
The Most Hon Glynne Manley; head of state protocol, Ambassador Elinor
Felix; The Hon Oliver Clarke and wife, Monica Ladd; Russian Ambassador
Vladimir Polenov; British High Commissioner David Fitton and wife Hisae
Fitton; Canadian High Commissioner Robert Ready; South African High
Commissioner Mathu Joyini; French Ambassador Madam Ginette de Matha;
Japanese Ambassador Yassuo Takase and his wife Mrs Sayoko Takase;
Brazilian Ambassador Dr Antonio DaCosta Silva Neto and his wife, the
beautiful Sylvia Ruschel de Leonie-Ramos; Colombian Ambassador Dr Luis
Guillermo Martinez-Fernandez; Mexican Ambassador Gerardo Lozano and wife
Mariza Solanzo; the charming Guadalupe Sanchez, deputy chief of mission
of the Mexican Embassy, and husband retired Ambassador Vicente
Montemayor; Ambassador Maxine Roberts; Contractor General Dirk Harrison
and his wife, Diahann; his predecessor Greg Christie and wife, Janice;
former Attorney General and Senator Dorothy Lightbourne; the elegantly
fab Suzan Alexander; honorary consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan and the
lovely Diane Bernard; honorary consul of the Kingdom of Thailand Mrs
Thalia Lyn, along with her husband, Capt (Ret) Michael Lyn and their son
Michael Lyn Jr, visiting from Florida; honorary consul of Costa Rica,
the charmingly lovely Lisa McGregor-Johnston and husband, Charles
Johnston; Sylvia Collister; the elegant Jennifer Lim; Capt David McRae;
Grande Dame and socialite Pat Ramsay; Noted Attorney and Commentator
Patrick Bailey; Dr Carolyn Gomes; the elegant Kay Osborne; head of UC
RUSAL Igor Dorofeev and his très elegant and stunning
wife, Elena; the charming Nicola Crosswell-Mair; the dapper Tanny
Shirley; Paul and Heidi Lalor; the lovely Dr Dahlia McDaniel; Anthony
Chang; Peter Hillary and the lovely Peta-Gaye McConnell; head of LIME,
the affable Garry Sinclair; head of the Spanish Jamaican Foundation Dr
Rebecca Tortello-Greenland and husband Dr Jonathan Greenland; Andrea
Bickhoff-Benjamin; the charmingly lovely Trudi-Rae Goodison; the lovely
Jennifer Gore and her daughter, the fab Rachel Gore; Nadav Goren and the
beautiful Romi Toyloy; while representing Spanish businesses here were:
Ricardo Esteban (Gran Bahía Principe), Frank Sondern (RIU), José Morgan
(Grand Palladium), Tristan Garcia Alvarado, Rafael Matas, David Casado,
Sergio Gonzalez, Juan Martinez Salomon, David Pijuan plus a number of
others; including the charming Angela Bodden-Watson and Elizabeth
Shoucair, from the embassy.

Indeed, it was one fabfest
that went way beyond the prescribed time for the event and fabulously
so!

Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance
Photographer