A soirée for Kenny Benjamin

Jamaica suffers from a few maladies, and there are two Jamaicas: one of talkers, who are always carried in some news sound bite. Then there is the other Jamaica - rarely quoted in sound bites, but whose actions give eloquent testimony to their commitment to this, their homeland, and their desire to see it a better place during their lifetime!

Usually, those talkers are always on about what is wrong with the country and the institutions set up or that we have inherited. And then, there are the doers who see Jamaica as their first and only home and place of business. They are constantly crafting ways to improve not only their standing, but that of the welfare of those in their employ and care.

One such individual is Kenny Benjamin.

Here is a man of many accomplishments, one who has obviously eschewed the example of the temptation set by many, to see and use Jamaica as a hunting ground - a place to plunder, and lead an imaginary life of wealth and comfort, in Florida or elsewhere.

An Indian national who arrived on these shores as a young man, he has gone on to distinguish himself as a businessman, philanthropist, and, more important, an individual committed to the continuing building of the dream that is Jamaica.

And so, my dears, after years in this country, building a conglomerate that has grown beyond our shores, two Mondays ago, 'matriculated' his 60th birthday. As is custom, the staff of the Guardsman Group of Companies gathered at their corporate headquarters on Old Hope Road and toasted their founder.

He, on the other hand, saw the occasion of his birthday as an opportunity to say thanks to his clients and customers. And so it was that, last Saturday, the place to be was his ultra-fabulous Stony Hill Estate home. This was the locale for what was, in effect, a client and customer thank you appreciation and celebration.

Well, my darling dears, talk about a fabulous night out!

First of all, forget all the talk about gated communities and exclusive neighbourhoods. Benjamin lives in what is by far Jamaica's most exclusive neighbourhood. With his neighbour being another leading conglomateur, between them the roadway and 'public' area are, simply, immaculate. So you can all imagine that this lover of nature and all things natural has and maintains a simply fabulous garden.

That it is, my dears, and then some. We are talking plush lawns, lush gardens, accented by ponds and waterfalls that are home to a simply fabulous collection of giant koi. Not to mention a collection of rare plants and animals. To this hilltop oasis, guests journeyed for what was truly a simply marvellous outing!

We are talking the party of parties here as Benjamin's garden theatre and famed entertainment cathedral were done up to embrace the celebratory nature of the occasion. With lavish lounges, bistro-styled cocktail areas, as well as elegant dining in all-white decor and motif, you know we are talking at sixes and nines here, and nothing but!

And with the host sporting a dinner jacket and flanked by his companion, Aloima Suarez, his children, Nicholas, Brooke (who jetted in from Paris for the occasion) and Brandon; his siblings, Ron and Alan Benjamin and wife, Patti (who all jetted in from Florida); his sister, the stunningly gorgeous Sheila Benjamin-McNeill and husband Tourism Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill; Benjamin's former wife, the gorgeous Suzie McCaulay-Benjamin; you know, we are talking high glam and societal fab here, and nothing but!

And that it was my daahling dears! And then some!

Oh what a night! As premium libations flowed, the world and his wife gathered, it was definitely a night of oohs and aahs as this was a celebration of the finest order. And doubly so as while it was Benjamins' way of saying thank you to his clients and customers, it was also his staff's way of lauding him, and faultlessly so!

Among those out to celebrate were; former prime minister PJ Patterson; Mike Henry and his stunning wife Dawn Chambers-Henry; High Court justices Glen Brown and Ingrid Mangatal; Chief of Defence Staff Major General Anthony Anderson and companion the fab Justine Henzell; Director of Tourism John Lynch; John Junor and his charming wife Erla; Walter Scott; former Contractor General Greg Christie and his lovely wife Janice; Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Cuban Ambassador Yuri Gala-Lopez and his wife Yaima, and their children. Indian High Commissioner Pratap Singh and wife Prem Lata Singh; Russian Ambassador Vladimir Polenov; Colombian Ambassador Luis Guillermo Martinez; Mexican Ambassador Gerado Lozano and his wife Maria; head of The Seabed Authority Ambassador Nii Odunton, his son, Akeodi squiring the lovely Ashley Fernandez; Valerie Juggan-Brown and son Mark; Vinay Walia; Robert MacMillan and the lovely Candy Crichton; the trés elegant Jennifer Lim; Lester Spaulding and wife Dr L.W. Koengeter and her daughter Lisa-Marie; Maria Pinchin; Steve and Betty Ashley; Rupert Bent and wife Cindy Breakspeare; Dr Jeffery Meeks; the charmingly lovely Scarlett Gillings, who danced up a storm; Harold Brady; Ray Barrett and his fab wife Sharon; Richard and Jacinth Byles; Dr Prenana and Dr Sachi Nalapathi; Dr Dhiru Garg; the elegant Laurel DeMercado; Lachu Ramchandani; Ian Garbutt and the fabulous Sonia Khan; Evan and Besty Williams; Zia Mian; Dr Ruth Potopsingh and her daughter Aisha; Minna Israel squired by the dapper Glen Kaise; Rajiv Bakshi and companion Dorothea Gordon-Smith, her daughter the fab Taquise. Also out; the lovely Angela Amir; Aubyn and Tamara Hill; Tanny Shirley; the engaging Pamela Redwood; Christopher Barnes; Carl Bliss and the fabulous Karen Neita; Patrick Bailey; Fred and Diana Hanley; Dr André and Gina Foote; the stunning Sophia Max-Brown; William and Candace Craig; Tarun and Catherine Handa; Ueli Bangerter; Vikram Dhiman; Troy Brennan and the stunning Toni Parke-Panton; Rajan and Sonia Trehan; Golaub Dukharan; Gregory Mayne and his wife the fab Michelle; Michael Subratie; Alex Dropinski and his wife, Dr Saphire Longmore (on crutches); Ian and Stephanie Neita; Donald Farquharson; the lovely Pamela Lawson; Gungan and Akshai Mansingh; the charming Mirand Ragbeir; Andrew Mathias; Craig and Ann-Marie Phang-Sang; Miguel and Isis Rodriques; Hugh Pringle, in from Florida; the dapper Julian Walker; Jorge Suarez and wife Reina Castellanos, in from Cuba; and the tres elegant Sonja Sutherland-Dumetz and Sherraine Murray keeping an eye on it all. But what a night!

Dears, it all began a-la-cocktail party mode and continued like that, as guests laa-dee-daahed and mingled until the celebrant-in-chief, Kenny Benjamin and his companion Aloima, took to the dance floor, and from there on then, it was a case of dancing with the stars, my dears, and how!

Loves, Dancehall diva 'Stocious' made a Marilyn Monroe styled cameo appearance; the Chairman, (as Benjamin is called by his staffers) cut a post-birthday cake with his children and companion.

The Russian ambassador danced up a storm, Janice Christie was the dancing queen, Karen Neita outvamped them all, and dears, it all made for a spectacular night of good fun and the night clearly belonged to the fabulocracy!

Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer