Fay Pickersgill elected to lead Latin American body

Jamaican Fay Pickersgill has become the first Caribbean woman to be elected to the leadership of the Federation of Latin American and Caribbean Associations for Friendship with China.

Pickersgill, president of the Jamaica China Friendship Association (JCFA), was elected as one of two new vice-presidents of the federation, joining seven other women on the new 13-member executive - the first time women have become the majority in the leadership of that body.

She was nominated by the Caribbean delegations from The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago and was elected unanimously on November 19, at the third China-Latin America and Caribbean Region's People-to-People Friendship Forum held in Fuzhou, capital of China's Fujian Province.

As one of the two vice-presidents, Pickersgill is responsible for the Caribbean region, while Juan Manuel Flores of El Salvador was elected vice-president with responsibility for the Central America region.

Addressing delegates after the historic election of the new body, Pickersgill said, "I am indeed honoured by your vote of confidence in electing me to represent the Caribbean and we in Jamaica will continue to do our best to further the cause of friendship, peace and respect in our mutual relations in the Caribbean and Latin America and promoting friendship with China."