British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was net by dignitaries as he arrived on the island for a short visit. His visit was very symbolic as he is the first British prime minister to officially visit the island.

Published Saturday, April 1, 1961

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THE RT. HON. Harold Macmillan, prime minister of the United Kingdom, arrived in Jamaica on Thursday afternoon. He is the third British prime minister to visit Jamaica while in office and the first to do so officially.

Macmillan was accompanied by Lady Dorothy Macmillan and a number of aides. He is at present on the last leg of a tour of the West Indies which began in Trinidad on Saturday, March 25.

He leaves here on Tuesday for Washington, where he will have talks with President John Kennedy of the United States.

Mr Macmillan was met on arrival at the Palisadoes Airport and welcomed to Jamaica by the Hon. Sir Collin MacGregor, chief justice of Jamaica, representing His Excellency the governor, Sir Kenneth Blackburne K.C.M.G., who was indisposed and confined on doctor’s orders to King’s House. With Sir Collin were Lady Blackburne, wife of the governor; the Hon. Norman Manley, Q.C., premier, and Mrs Manley; and Brigadier D Lister, C. B. E, D. S. O. M.C., commander Caribbean area.

Mr Macmillan and his party arrived in Jamaica at 2.45 p.m. in a Royal Air Force Transport Command plane which brought the party from Antigua.

After the formal greeting at planeside, Brigadier Lester presented to the prime minister, Lieutenant-Colonel M. C. Hastings D.S.O., officer Commanding the 1st Battalion Royal Hampshire Regiment, following which the prime minister inspected a Guard of Honour mounted by the Royal Hampshires.

The inspection over, members of the Cabinet and their wives and other official persons were presented to the prime Minister by mr Manley.

WELCOME GROUP

In the welcoming group were the Hon. Willis O Issacs and Mrs. Issacs, the Hon. Dr. Ivan Lloyd and Mrs Lloyd,  Mrs Arnett, the Hon. Florizel Glasspole and Mrs Glasspole, the Hon. A.G.S. Coombs and Mrs Coombs, the Hon. Dr Glendon Logan and Mrs Logan, the Hon Jonathan Grant, the Hon. Keble Munn and Mrs. Munn, the Hon. Rudolph Burke and Mrs Burke, and the Hon. Douglas Fletcher and Mrs Fletcher, His Worship the Mayor Councillor Frank Spaulding, the Hon. Sir Geoffrey Gunter. C.B.E., Custos of St. Andrew; the Hon. Dr Ludlow Moody, Custos of Kingston, and Mrs Moody. Mrs Lister, wife of the Commander Caribbean Area. Mrs Hastings, wife of the Commander 1st Battalion Royal Hampshire Regiment.

Introductions over, the small gathering of other persons present, airport attendants press and radio crews, security officers and the curious had a moment of amusement as the prime minister striding towards the microphones for the official welcome, had to pause, bend down and tie a loose shoe-lace.

Mr Manley extended the island’s welcome to the prime minister. He told him that Jamaica was proud to welcome him as leader of the Commonwealth, because of his great and devoted service to the Commonwealth.

Mr Macmillan, in reply, spoke of the historic ties between the people of Jamaica and the United Kingdom over more than 300 years and expressed welcome at the prospect of continued co-operation and mutual support.

The prime minister’s party then entered the special cars and drove out of the airport past security guards to King’s House by way of Palisadoes Road, the Windward Road, Mountain View Avenue, Seaview Avenue, Lady Musgrave Road to King’s Gate. He stood up in the open Princess Tourer, which the Queen used on her visit to Jamaica, at points along the route to wave to the crowds which gathered to see the procession go by.

At King’s House, the Prime Minister and Lady Macmillan were welcomed by Governor Sir Kenneth Blackburne. Later in the afternoon, Mr Manley paid an official call on the Prime Minister who, with Lady Dorothy Macmillan, were special guests of honour at an official dinner given at King’s House by the Governor and Lady Blackburne last night.

The guests invited to the dinner were: Sir John Martin, Sir John Richardson, Mr T.J. Bligh, Mr J. Wyndham, Mr Harold Evans of the prime minister’s Party, the Premier and Mrs Manley, Mr and Mrs Will Issacs, Dr and Mrs Lloyd, Mr and Mrs Seivright, Mr and Mrs Vernon Arnett. Mr and Mrs FlorizelGlasspole, Mr and Mrs A. C. S. Coombs, Dr and Mrs Glendon Logan, Mr and Mrs Rudolph Burke, Sir Alexander Bustamante, Mr Donald Sangster, Dr and Mrs Arthur Lewis.

Arriving with the prime minister on Thursday were Lady Dorothy Macmillan; Sir John Martin, K.C.M.G. C.B. C.V.O.; Colonial Office adviser Sir John Richardson N. V. O. M. D. F. R. C. P.; personal doctor to Mr Macmillan, Mr T.J. Bligh, D. S. O. O. B. E. D.S.C.; principal private secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr J. Wyndham, M. B. E.; Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr Harold Evans, C. M. G. B. E.; public relations Officer the prime minister, Miss E. Graves; archivist Miss J. Parsons, M.B.E.; personal assistant, Mr W. Kemby, M.B.E.; cypher operator, Inspector Harwood; security Officer, Sergeant Morris; baggage master, and Mr L Clutton, Cypher operator.

Arriving today to join the prime minister’s Party are the Rt. Hon Sir Norman Brook, P.C. G.C.B., secretary to the Prime Minister; Miss Porter, personal assistant.

Yesterday, the prime minister attended the Garrison Church for Good Friday services in the morning and was scheduled in the afternoon to receive Mr Vasco Leitao de Cunha, of the Brazilian foreign ministry, who arrived here yesterday with a message from Brazil’s president, Mr Janio Quadros, for the prime minister.

This morning, the Prime Minister will attend a special meeting of the Cabinet at Headquarters House and afterwards, attend a meeting of the Jamaica Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Gordon House.In the afternoon, the prime minister and Lady Dorothy Macmillan will visit the University College of the West Indies.

A State reception for the prime minister will be held this evening at the Myrtle Bank Hotel.

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