Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (second right) greets managing director of the Cement Company Anthony Haynes (second left) and his wife Suzette (left), while looking on at right is Silvera Castro. They were at the Prime Minister's post-Budget reception held at Jamaica House, last Tuesday.- Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
My dears, by now y'all should know that old refrain, to wit: 'A week in politics is a very long time'. Well, by now, the import of this age-old saying should be sinking in.
Now, work with me here - y'all remember some months ago the popular sport then was that of putting down the Prime Minister by questioning her capacity, especially by those who did not have any achievement of their own to commend them to others? In any other culture she would have been lauded for her accomplishments, having risen the top of her game and the highest political office in the land.
Well, such was the case when Margaret Thatcher, a shopkeeper's daughter, rose from her humble beginnings to head the British political establishment and went on to become a tour de force in world politics, helping to reorder the British political system! But then again, we are talking about the British here, and in doing so, it's like comparing style and substance to a school in summer! The first is there to see, and the latter - no class!
No surprises here as the Jamaican way is to not support the triumphs of our own, instead, that particular Jamaican trait - bad-mind and grudgeful - kicks in, and so achievements are not celebrated, but lambasted.
Anyway, the Most Honourable Prime Minster Portia Simpson Miller is shining example of what dedication and application can result. This lady of humble beginnings came to the political scene as a young and energetic supporter of the PNP, and through dint of her abilities, worked her way to the top of that political institution.
And now, it does appear that the socialised prejudices and howls of derision that accompanied Simpson Miller on her ascendancy to the top have now been grudgingly replaced by quiet, albeit sullen, admiration, as the politically-astute Simpson Miller has not only gathered her political wits about her to produce a trump, with her second budget presentation, last Tuesday.
annual event
Now my daahlings, by now y'all should know that the annual budget debate and the post-budget receptions that follow are the high point of the political enchilada here. These functions are more often than not used as a political bell-wether. And with two relatively new leaders at the helm of the two main political parties at this juncture, impending general elections and all, my dears, you know we are talking a game of high social stakes here!
And so it was!
Well, sweet-things, let us just say, for her inaugural post-budget reception, friends of the Prime Minister and her hubby, The Most Honourable Errald Miller, hosted just that - a reception. On Tuesday of last week, the same friends of Simpson Miller and her husband hosted a gala, and a fine one to boot!
Yes, my dears, it was like that, and then some, as this was not your traditional middle-class or upper-crust social showpiece. To be sure, it was that too, but true to her stated objectives, it also saw liberal doses of the hoi polloi in attendance, and my dears, how!
My dears, it rained well into the early evening, dovecakes, we are talking one darling cantata here, the lawns of Jamaica House had a number of marquees housing food and libations for the comfort and pleasure of guests. The battery of staff on hand made sure every guests was pampered by flawless service and a fab fare that was mmm, good!
Oh my word, what a do! Fab my dears and nothing but, as we are talking a cultural-sushi here, with the mixing of the classes on a scale never seen before. And when Simpson Miller made her appearance looking absolutely regal in her hot couture (Escada) ensemble, guests waited eagerly for their turn to touch her, and pumpkins, it made for fabulous exchange and then some!
fabulous night
A fabulous night it was with a host of notable, near-notables and general constituents in attendance. Among the notables spotted were: leading members of the Cabinet and their junior ministers; Senate President Syringa Marshall Burnett; MPs Abe Dabdoub and Verna Parchment; headlining the diplomatic and consular corps were: Head of EU Delegation HE Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni; Spanish Ambassador HE Jesús Silva; Chilean Ambassador HE Alfanso Silva; South African High Commissioner HE Advocate Faith D' Radebe; Cuban Ambassador HE Gisela Garcia Rivera and her husband D'orge Crespo.
Trinidad and Tobago's High Commissioner HE Marie Gitten-Josephs; Canadian High Commissioner HE Denis Kingsley; Columbian Ambassador HE Diaz Ventura; Acting charge d'affaires and Consul General US Embassy Ed Wehrli; Honorary Consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Honorary Consul of Ecuador Clelia de Barretto Hunter; former Deputy Prime Minister and Ambassador to Washington, Seymour Mullings; former Housing Minster O.D. Ramtallie; former Tourism Minister Francis Tulloch and Senator Trevor Munroe.
Also present were Opposition MP Babsy Grange; Hon. John Issa and his twin daughters the lovely Muna Issa and the equally lovely Zein Issa Nakash alongside her husband Christopher Nakash; businessman Joe Matalon; businessman Las Chin; power couple Laurie and Ruth Hussey; UGI's Neville Blythe; the elegant Barbara Gloudon; Prakash and Anita Vaswani; banker Ryland T. Campbell; Ambassador Richard Bernal and wife Margaret; and fashion designer Ivy Ralph.
; international recording star Maxi Priest; businessman Howard Hamilton; former Director of Protocol Ambassador Madge Barrett; Dr. Henry Lowe; former Government MP and banker Peter Bunting; Dr. Heather Little-White; Alva Anderson; businessman Steve Ashley; attorney and former Public Defender Howard Hamilton; Dr. Glenda Simms;; Herb Lewis; Fae Ellington; Patrick Wong; Sonia Sutherland Dumetz; Faud Marzouca; Barbara Blake-Hanna; Lincoln and Barbara Robinson; Rajiv Bakshi; businessman Hugh Scott; Winston 'Babatunde' Witter; Bevon Morrison and her sibling Paul Morrison; the lovely Grace Silvera and many more.
