- WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
The campaign committee of Dr. Peter Phillips put on a fund-raising dinner at the Stony Hill residence of businessman Kenny Benjamin, on Thursday, February 16. From left are Lasco boss Lascelles Chin, Sandra Phillips, Dr. Peter Phillips and businessman Joseph A. Matalon.
Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
DEARHEARTS, businessman Kenny Benjamin has done it again. In the midst of the internal campaigning and fight to succeed the retiring P.J. Patterson, the celebrated bon vivant and award-winning philanthropist has, so far, hosted three political fund-raisers at his swanky Stony Hill estate.
And, daahlings, forget that talk about people not being interested in the current political succession debate, or the notion that we are a broke people.
HIGH PRICE TAG
Poppycock, my dears, and nothing but, as these fund-raisers were not your run-of-the-mill affairs, but came with the handsome price tag of US$1,000 per plate (at least, $64,000) in the first two instances, with the last event on Thursday fetching a cool $100,000 per plate!
And children, when it was all over, there was over some $20,000,000, yes, make that 20 million dollars (or pretty close), raised for the three candidates, and how!
But just how did Benjamin come to host all three?
The way he tells it, it really began with the fact that he has been with friends with these three political contenders for years, and when it was clear that all three would be throwing their hats into the ring, he decided to remain an impartial friend to all three and offer his support in any way he could be of assistance.
Dubbed the Golden Fund-raisers, the three beneficiaries were Portia Simpson Miller, Dr. Omar Davies and Dr. Peter Phillips.
First, there was Portia's followed by Omar's, and then Peter's.
But the Phillips camp got wind of the fact that, indeed, both minsters Simpson Miller and Omar Davies fetched the US$1,000 per plate, then upped the ante for their candidate, and how, as pumpkins, here the price per plate for the fund-raising dinner for Dr. Phillips' campaign was $100,000, and nothing but!
IN STYLE AGAIN
Sweet-things, to say that all three fund-raisers were fabulously successful could possibly be the understatement of the season!
Luvs, the PNP leadership contenders came out in their finest - definitely in haute mode!
My dears, what has been missing from the governance during the Patterson years is that sense of grand style and occasion, with most official functions reduced to the equivalent of a curry-goat feed, and lacking in style and social pageantry!
Well, daahlings, judging from the last three fund-raising dinners, February 25 can't get here soon enough. The candidates and their spouses not only turned out in full social battle regalia, so did their respective entourage and retinue of advisers and consultants.
Oh, my word, the style, beauty and elegance of it all! Luvs, fab style is definitely a component of the potential successors, and honeys, it can't get to Jamaica House soon enough!
From the charm and endearing style of Minister Portia Simpson Miller and the sartorial grace of her hubby Errald Miller, to the understated grace of Rose Davies and the plucky charm of her hubby, Dr. Omar Davies, to the unequalled elegance of Sandra Minott-Phillips and her reserved husband Dr. Peter Phillips, Jamaica House will definitely be serving up some sassy style and elegance some time soon.
ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment provided for each dinner was nothing short of ecstatic.
From the oh so talented Jessica Yapp and the fabulous June Lawson, accompanied by Anne McNamee (piano), the more earthy Beenie Man and Shelly Belly, to the awesome talent that is Della Manley; Dwight Richards and Friends, plus the arrestingly awesome voice of Keisha Patterson, who simply blew guests away with her fab self.
She performed a classic set from a repertoire that included Bassey, that was so-o-o fine, it became all goose pimply as she belted out fab aria after aria, to the spellbound delight of her audience.
And then, there were the guests! My daahlings, a virtual who's who of the corporate, social, industrial, commerce and political classes!
Honeys, it was like that, with anybody who's anybody and with deep enough pockets in attendance, and pouring in from the length and breadth of the island! Children, I kid y'all not, as it was like that, and then some!
