Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor Oh my word! And then some, talk about a smasheroni! That was the reception hosted by the Most Honorable Portia Simpson Miller and her husband, the Most Honorable Errald Miller at the tr?s-fab Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay, two Saturday evenings ago. It was a prelude to the ICC Cricket World Cup opening.
Dovecakes, dubbed 'Jamaica Night', the affair was all that and then some - and we are talking a world-class act here, and nothing but! Honeys, think regional power, social and political celebrity! Think social prime time! And then, think the very acme of the pure and true sophistication that is the very essence of Jamaica. Then and only then you will grasp the simply enormous success that Jamaica Night was.
Doves, scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m., this was one of the more anticipated official events attending the World Cup opening. Guests poured into the lobby of the hotel from as early as 6:30 p.m. Undaunted by their early arrival, there was a battery of staff on hand who not only warmly greeted everyone but ushered them with dispatch and an all-embracing courtesy through the lobby area and down the meandering hallway to the resort's east lawns.
Little village theme
The area was decorated to reflect a little village, with some 20 bamboo kiosks, 14 of which represented all the island's parishes, and used rather judiciously as stations for the various fare each parish has made itself famous for. And with the Jamaican colours streaming from every which where; and the caf?-style arrangement that dotted the lawns, alongside a few strategically placed lounge areas, y'all know we are talking one breathtakingly marvellous setting. The view afforded from the imposing colonial style veranda, that stands like a formidable sentinel atop the east lawns, was magnificent. From this vantage point, guests actually descended on to the lawns and right into the social atmosphere.
Honeychiles, Jamaica never looked so good, Prime Minister Simpson Miller looked so fabulous, as she made the rounds with her hubby, meeting and greeting the hundreds of guests who turned out for the event!
Daahlings, the invite did state 'Informal' as the preferred mode of dress, but nary a soul paid that advisory any mind, as sweet-things, while the men (for the most part) donned shirtsleeves, no such restraints hampered the ladies, and honeys, did they go to town!
Fashionable occasion
Precious angels, the ladies made it one flawlessly fashionable occasion. Dears, we are talking couture here, running the gamut from flowing ball gowns to that itty-bitty little black dress, stilettos and oodles of exquisite jewellery! And, after all, why not? As it was an affair of state, and fabulously so!
Fab 5 provided entertainment in the early hours of the show, and the truth be told, proved hardly more than a distraction, though tried they did, to get the majority of those in attendance to absorb the music and/or even dance a little!
My dears, it simply just was not that kind of a party! But for my word, what a fabulous night!
And with the charming radio and stage personality Elva Ruddock keeping it fabulous, y'all know it was a blast!
And then there were the guests, my dears, a virtual who's who of Caribbean and cricketing hierarchy, including Governor-General The Most Honourable Professor Kenneth Hall and wife, The Most Honorable Mrs. Rheima Hall; Custos of St. James the Hon. Clarence Nelson; former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson; Works Minister Robert Pickersgill; Attorney-General A.J. Nicholson; Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell; Tourism Minister Aloun Assamba; her deputy, Dr. Wykeham McNeill; Local Government Minister Dean Peart and Mrs. Peart; Labour Minister Derrick Kellier; MP John Junor and his lovely wife, Urla; MP O.T. Williams; Opposition MP Ed Bartlett; Kingston's mayor, Councillor Desmond McKenzie; Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas; Leon McCalla and wife Patricia Sinclair McCalla; Governor-General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sir Frederick Ballantyne; CARICOM Secretary General HE Edwin Carrington; Lord Bill Morris; Head of EU Delegation, HE Ambassador Marco Mazzacchi-Alemanni; British High Commissioner HE Jeremy Cresswell and companion, Dr. Barbara Munske; Indian High Commissioner HE Kalish Agra Waal ; Canadian High Commissioner HE Denis Kingsley; Cuban Ambassador HE Mrs. Gisela Garcia Rivera and husband D'Orge Crespo; Ambassador of the Dominican Republic HE Filomena Navarro; UNICEF's Bertrand Bainvel; UNAIDS Rep Miriam Maluwa; Honorary Consul of the Ukraine, Kenny Benjamin; Honorary Consul of Ecuador, Clelia de Barretto Hunter; Canadian High Court Judge, Justice Michael Tulloch.
We also saw Sir Garfield Sobers; Clive Lloyd; Geoff Boycott; Ambassador Courtney Walsh; Phil Simmonds; Chris Gayle; Marlon Samuels; Brian Lara; Dr. Vin Lawrence; Godfrey and Odette Dyer;the regal Michelle Rollins; Howard Hamilton and his fabulous wife, Professor Dr. Marlene Hamilton, and their lovely daughter Michelle Hamilton Harrolds; Richard Stewart; Mrs. Janet Panton; Dr. Charles and Corina Meeks; Ainsley and Marjorie Henriques; Mike and Peggy Fennel; Derek Jones; Capt. Horace Burrell; Rudy and Joy McHugh, and several scores more.
