Chester Francis Jackson, Gleaner Writer

Destination Jamaica is still the place to party, for the international jetsetters and the in-crowd. This was evidenced by the leading members of the international fabulocracy who jetted into the island last week for the annual Sugar Cane Ball and Polo benefit, at the tres chic Round Hill.

The rains caused the cancellation of the much-anticipated polo outing, but there was no damper on the social event, and so it was all systems go for the Sugar Cane Ball. In fact, it rained fabulousness, as the titled and the sought after were in attendance and celebrated with gusto.

lots to celebrate

But that, my dears, was last weekend. This week there are birthdays aplenty, so let the partying begin anew! As they say, when the going gets tough, the fab goes a-partying, and dears, there's a lot to celebrate, despite the forecast of doom and gloom.

And speaking of beautiful people and places, dears, birthdays there are, and so we say special belated birthday greetings to: the charming and elegantly fab Aloima Suarez; the lovely Claudette Kenlock; Eberle Dawes; the fabulous Shawna Newman-Brown; Paul Mullings; the lovely Scarlett Beharie; Patrick Ravi Suragdee; the fab Prudence Johnson; the lovely Naulyn Jones, now in New Jersey. Also the charming Debbie Estensen, in Washington; and former Mexican ambassador to Jamaica, in New Zealand, Leonora Rueda who all celebrated their birthday last Friday, the 8th.

On the 9th, those celebrating included: the affable Jonathan Surtees; the charmingly fabulous Gloria Dawkins; the dapper Wayne Sutherland; the lovely Henrietta Harris-Delisser; the chic Tiffany Cornwall; the ultra-fab Maxine Tulloch, in Miramar, Florida; and the lovely Tonyia Hird, in the Bronx, New York.

On Sunday, the 10th, birthday celebrants included: Ian Rowlands; the ultra-fab chicster Jacqui Nielssen; the lovely Nicola deMercado Barbar; the beautiful Tanya Shirley; Wine Buff Christopher Reckord; the charming Andrea Green; and the lovely Adriana Weinerz; and US sprinter Justin Gatlin.

On Monday the 11th, it was all about: Roger Brown, celebrating just days after wife Shawna; the lovely Suzette Murry; hotelier Gregory Shervington; Onuora Okuson, in Negril; Ryan Hamilton, in Miami, Florida; the fabulous Nevine Heaven; Michael-Anthony Nunez, now living in Pampatar, Venezuela. Also the fabulous doyenne of haute style, Maureen German, who moves her birthday celebrations from her London home to Florida, this year; Balraj Sivia, in Vancouver, BC; and the fab Charmaine Austin, north coast habitué of San Diego, California, who will all make it an international of celebrations.

celebrating on the 12th

And on Tuesday the 12th, the celebrations moved into high gear with: human resources management consultant Carl Bliss; the elegant professor Vereen Shepherd; the lovely Christal Heaven. Esteemed businessman Prem Khiatani, from Montego Bay, now in Weston, Florida; Colin Gregory; Karlene Nugent Pryce; and Patrick Boulton, now in West Palm Beach, Florida all celebrating.

On Wednesday the 13th, celebrants included: Manley Bowen; Capt Horace Burrell; the lovely Marilyn Burrowes of Dolphin Cove; David Holland; beauty and model Chavoy Gordon; and the fabulously beautiful, Chloe Francis-Cooper, in Ocho Rios; Junior Wellington, formerly of York Street, St Catherine, now in Bloomfield, Connecticut; and the lovely Joan Spence-Trellis, in the UK.

Love was not the only thing celebrated on February 14. Among those who celebrated their birthdays on Valentine's Day were: celebrated ceramist and sculptor Gene Pearson; the fabulously pregnant Romae Gordon; former JLP Senator Marlene Malahoo-Forte; the fab Tamiann Young; the lovely Tamika McCourtie; the charming the Veron Johnson, in Runaway Bay; the stunning Karen Gomez, in Montego Bay; the lovely Tameka Dobson, in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland. Also the always happening Michelle LaPorte, in fabulous Negril; the lovely Karlene Cousins, now in Miramar, Florida; New York-based model and actor Brandon Lamar; the fabulous Sheri Black, in Laguna Beach, California; and UK based Jamaican hockey star Robert Robinson.

Celebrating today are: Seya Henry-Wilson; the dapper Julian Walker; the lovely Tara Hylton-Wilson, in Ocho Rios; the beautiful Traciana Cole, in Christiana, Manchester; musician Willie Stewart, now resident of Pembroke Pines, Florida, and the lovely Susan P. Ramos, in Miami. The fab Latisha Atterbury-Cobb, in Atlanta, Georgia; and the lovely Kathy Gardner-Nicholson, in New Jersey.

On Saturday the 16th, the fab Debra Howell, in Detroit, Michigan, blew out the candles on her birthday cake in the Motor City.

birthdays on the 17th

Sunday the 17th saw: Ian Gibson; William Malone, in Nassau, Bahamas; the fab Jacqui Salmon, now in Queens, New York; Dawn Simmons, also in NY; and the lovely Alecia Descartes Esby in the UK.

On Monday the 18th; the fabulously talented soprano, Carol Reid; singer, and entertainer par excellence, A.J. Brown; Angela Tomlinson; Marie Sewell, in Runaway Bay, St Ann; the beautiful Veveine Clarke, now resident of Fort Lauderdale; the lovely Sabrina Daniels, over in Camden, New Jersey; international sexologist, the fab Jessica O'Reilly, in Toronto, Canada; made it a special day of celebrations.

On Tuesday the 19th, the celebrants included: Alan Milbourn; Brian Foster; Ray Campbell; Lee Davis; Garth Delapenha, now in Pembroke Pines; the beautiful Carrie James, over in Texas; The fabulous Joan Miller, formerly of Morant Bay, St Thomas, now resident of Toronto, Canada; and fitness model Andrew Dawes, also in Toronto, Canada.

Wednesday the 20th saw: the charmingly fab Enith Williams; the lovely Paulette Lewis, at Sandals Whitehouse; Marcia Martin-Bennett, in Brooklyn, New York; and Fitzroyal Pulinski, in London, UK being the celebrants.

And on Thursday the 21st, it was all about: the fabulous entertainer and cabaret star Georgia Henry; the esteemed Douglas Ainsworth; track star Xavier Enchomo Brown; Mark Chung; reggae crooner Hopeton James; the fab Gail Andrea Parkin, over in Montego Bay; Dawn Thompson, formerly of Morant Bay, St Thomas, now resident of Trumbull, Connecticut; and Raymond Wade, in Mount Vernon, New York.

Today, we say best wishes to: the legendary Keith Brown; the fab Juliet Moss-Solomon; David Miller; the fab Simone Baugh; the charmingly lovely Connie Harrison, in Ewarton, St Catherine; Joel Grant, formerly of Rosemount, St Catherine, now in Pembroke Pines, Florida; the fabulously sexy Latoya Pink, formerly of Hedonism III, now in Plantation, Florida. Larry Simpson, in London, UK; and Kenroy Nigel Simpson, formerly of Bog Walk, St Catherine, now in Dubai, UAE, who all celebrate today.

Celebrating on Saturday the 23nd will be: the serenely elegant Ann Chen Euker, in Negril; the dapper Charles Lewin, former lead anchor of TVJ and leading radio presenter, now in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Christopher Chin-Loy, now resident of Milton, Ontario; Marthum LK Brown-Tulloch, formerly of Bog Walk, St Catherine, now resident of Bronx, New York; and the lovely Claudia Folkes, also in New York. The absolutely gorgeous Justine Willoughby; Matthew Marzouca; entertainer/performer Shelly Thunder; the beautiful Karen Mullings; the affable Marcel Robinson; the lovely Sherma McKenzie; and the charming Carolin Wright.

Many happy returns all around with champagne toasts and beluga treats!