A soirée for a cause

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

Some people got it and some people don't! The it is that little extra that the French call the je ne sais quoi, that sets some individuals apart from others in a way that others have come to admire and revere.

In the world of politics, that je ne sais quoi has made iconic leaders who, during their political lifetime, endowed them with political capital that stood them in very good stead inside and outside of the political arena across the length and breadth of Jamaica.

It is the political capital that these leaders amassed during their tenure that assisted them in solidifying their role and status as 'maximum leader', who then in turn would spend their political capital in channelling the energy of their supporters/followers in pursuit of fulfilling political ideologies and of policy prescriptions.

Enter Portia Simpson Miller, the woman who rose to the top of the region's leading 'Old Boys Club', from the grassroots.

The prime minister is cognisant of the fact that the surest path from poverty to self-awareness and capacity building is with an educational base. In this regard, she has been seeking to empower and encourage her constituents (urban and rural poor) that the way forward is through education, and she has taken tangible steps to use the capital she has earned to raise funds to empower and facilitate those who because of financial constraints would normally fall by the wayside.

Enter the Portia Simpson Miller Foundation - a charitable foundation, formally established four years ago, with the specific mandate of seeking out and providing financial assistance to those who have demonstrated the aptitude and capacity to enrich themselves educationally.

Mind you all, not that this was the only mandate of the foundation. Since its inception, it has been lending a helping hand to the needy, the indigent, the hungry, the homeless, and the sick.

Well, largely dependent on the goodwill of some in corporate Jamaica, as well as a number of leading socialites and friends in the diaspora, the Portia Simpson Miller Foundation signature fundraising event - the annual fundraising gala, was hosted at the Norbrook Drive home of attorney and entrepreneur Junior Dabdoub and wife, Diane.

My darlings, hosted two Fridays ago on November 15, what a social humdinger it proved!

Dears, it was prime time and then some, as the world and his wife were out, looking like all that and then some. Corporate Jamaica; leading socialites; glamourzons and the glitterati, were out in full support and social battle regalia, lending their support and cheque books to the many causes supported by the foundation, and how!

simply fab

Luvs, songbird the fab Charmaine Lemonious was the chanteuse for the occasion and she was simply fab, as she entertained faultlessly, perched as she was on the balcony above the pool deck and bar, adding that little oomph to her set. And as she soothed and crooned, there was no escaping the beauty of the evening, nor the noble cause for which guests had gathered, and pumpkins, it made for a regal outing and nothing but!

Dears, the Dabdoubs' home, sitting as it does near the greens of the Constant Spring Golf Club's 16th hole; was designed with haute living in mind - its spacious grounds and flowering gardens a pure delight. But imagine a place of beauty, further enhanced by Lady Orchid - the fab Betty Ashley, and y'all know we are talking beauty of unequalled splendour here!

Well, my dears, it was like that, and then some, as with the threat of foul weather hanging like the sword of Damocles over the evening, the organisers took the proactive measure of installing one giant party marquee and then ringing the marquee and its entrance with a number of kiosks boasting some fab culinary offerings and premium libations.

Well pumpkins, it was like that and more, as this was one fabulous event, in style, concept and execution, and for my word, what a beaut of an event.

Guests

The prime minister and her husband Errol were the hosts with the mosts, as guests and patrons of the foundation, included visiting Haitian President Michel Martelly; Surinamese first lady Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring; Education Minister Ronald Thwaites; Robert Pickersgill; Industry Minister Anthony Hylton; Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson and his fiancée, the lovely Blossom Pickersgill. Also Local Government Minister Noel Arscott; Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna and companion Richard Lake; Dr Morais Guy; Information Minister Senator Sandrea Falconer and her mom, the very charming Gertrude; Junior Minister Richard Azan; Senator Delano Franklyn; Senator Lambert Brown; Senator Imani Duncan Price and husband Stephen Price and her baby sis, the beautiful Khia Josina Duncan. We spotted Senator Sophia Fraser Binns; Richard and Lavern Parchment; former Minister Dr Paul Robertson; Phyllis Mitchell; founding chairman of the Portia Simpson Miller Foundation Steve Ashley and his fab wife, Betty; the charmingly lovely Zein Issa Nakash, who chaired the event and husband Christopher; dean of the diplomatic corps, Dr José Tomás Ares German, of the Dominican Republic; American Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater and husband Reverend Russell Awkard; Chinese Ambassador Dong Xiaojun; Brazilian Ambassador Dr Antonio DaCosta Silvo Neto; Argentinean Ambassador Ariel Fernandez and his fabulous wife Helene Hagen-Larsen; Sameer and Leila Younis; Dr Fritz Pinnock of the Caribbean Maritime Institute; Michael Campbell and the elegant Dulcie Moody. We also saw; Jean-Claude Des Ulme; Prakash and Anita Vaswani; Steve and Karishma Khemlani; Elon and Marilyn Beckford; Dr Michael Banbury; Dr Diana Davis-Smith; Michael and Andrea Vaccianna; the inimitable Grub Cooper, who provided the musical feast for the occasion; George Habib; Maureen Capleton; Ryland Campbell; Dwight Moore of KIA Motors, and son Dominic; Karlene Max-Brown and her stunning daughter Sophia Max-Brown; Mignonette Reynolds; Ronnie Coke and wife Ethlyn; Crenston Boxhill; Marjorie Burrowes; Lloyd Tomlinson; Fuzz and Jackie Lechler; David Hall; the charming Marilyn Bennett; Olympian Nesta Carter; Paul Peart; Dollis Campbell; Tony Pearson, his daughter Dr Catherine Pearson and son Gregory; Sean Baugh and his fiancée Makeeda Ramjeet; Pamela Redwood; Nari Williams-Singh and wife Trisha; and the lovely Gaudia Chevannes-Aquart; plus several others. But what a night!

My dears, it was closer to 2 a.m. when it was all over, but in between, Prime Minister Simpson Miller played a winning round of dominoes and her husband won a round of pool - all adding to what was truly a beautifully relaxed evening and nothing but!