Jamaican heading Caribbean affairs body

WASHINGTON (CMC):

Prominent Jamaica-born lawyer, Ambassador Curtis Ward, has been appointed chairman of the first Commission on Caribbean Affairs in the United States.

Governor Martin O'Malley and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown signed the executive order creating the first Governor's Commission on Caribbean Affairs in Maryland, during a ceremony in the state capital of Annapolis.

The commission's creation and the historic appointment of Ambassador Ward come as Caribbean Americans celebrate June as Caribbean American Heritage Month in the United States.

Governor O'Malley said the creation of the body shows his administration's commitment to the Caribbean people of Maryland, estimated at over 60,000.

To ensure that matters of importance to the community are addressed at the highest levels of the Maryland government, the commission will be housed in the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives.