WE ARE EXCITED! Ambassador Marks introduced in fine style

Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor

"This is so exciting," was the sentiment expressed by the guests in attendance at Monday night's accreditation reception hosted by Jamaica's embassy in the United States to introduce the new Ambassador, Audrey Marks, to the diaspora and friends of Jamaica at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, in Arlington, Virginia.

It followed the ambassador's presentation of her credentials to President Barack Obama at the White House earlier the same day. But guests were not only excited because they were welcoming Ambassador Marks as the first woman to hold the position, they were also buoyed by the exciting prospects for present and future investment opportunities in Jamaica that she outlined.

Underscoring those sentiments, Ambassador Marks, in her address, said she was inspired at this time when Jamaica faced many challenges in its development, and even in the face of some perceived difficulties in her path, to regard her appointment as a great opportunity to help create a better Jamaica.

"I undertake the position with pride as I seek to fulfil my mandate to enhance the historically excellent relationship between Jamaica and the United States, to elevate Jamaica's profile among its citizens, to secure greater investments for the country and to assist in developing and harnessing the human and financial resources of our diaspora," Ambassador Marks said.

Agenda items

She outlined some of the ongoing agenda items for the Golding administration such as the anti-gang bill being debated and the efforts to modernise laws to reflect new developments in the science of criminal investigation, like DNA evidence. She also noted that on the financial front, " … our Treasury Bill is now the lowest in 28 years, thus reducing the country's debt burden and lowering the direct financial cost and the opportunity cost of investment, therefore inducing capital flow into real businesses and job creation."

Ambassador Marks further highlighted some of the positive developments on the broader economic front, with hundreds of millions of dollars now being committed to businesses, including Falmouth Cruise Ship Terminal Development; Harmony Cove Casino & Hotel Development; major development of downtown Kingston; Palisadoes shoreline protection rehabilitation and other major road rehabilitation.

The cocktail event had just the right elements of class, business and social networking opportunities and the right blend of corporate and government leaders. The programme was chaired by Deputy Chief of Missions Sharon Miller who, along with the ambassador, greeted guests in the receiving line. Well-known Jamaican cabaret singer Karen Smith almost literally brought the house down with her high-energy performance of ballads, love songs, rock steady and reggae favourites, culminating with a medley of folk/mento songs that had guests who were already feeling positive about Jamaica, dancing the evening away.

Among the impressive line-up of guests from the Jamaican Diaspora among other guests were: former US Secretary of State General Colin Powell and his charming wife Alma, who told The Gleaner upon enquiry that everything was going well with America's Promise, the organisation Powell founded to improve the lives of the less fortunate. Also out were: former ambassadors Curtis Ward; Richard Bernal and wife Margaret; Ambassadors Gillian Bristol; John Beale; Jacques Karran; Nestor Mendez; Raymond Joseph; Michael Louis; Deborah Mae Lovell; Consul General Sandra Grant-Griffiths; Honorary Consul Vin Martin; Shirley Nathan-Pulliam of the Maryland House of Delegates; and Donahue Peebles, Obama finance committee member and the largest black real estate dealer in the US.

Family members included husband, Jassel Dunstan; and their children Morgan and Madison Dunstan; Olive Marks, her mother; Stacey Marks, sister, and her son Julius; plus Dr Conrad Hibbert, cousin. Also out were: ace Jamaica-born pilot, Barrington Irving, who told The Gleaner he will be the proud father of a son in another four weeks; Dorrel Callender; Patrick Cha-Fong; Margaret Chin; Congresswoman Donna Christensen; Casey Cooper, attorney; Sir George Alleyne; Albert Dwoskin; Beverly East; Leopold Edwards; Beverly Broderick and sister Oonagh Greaves; George Dalley; Simone Williams, Sheldon Smith; Hilaire Sobers and wife Alison; Hilda McIntosh; Dr Alston Meade; Stephen Lande; Jessica Jones; Howard University's Bertram Melbourne; members of the embassy staff and several scores more.