Cuban celebration

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Cuban Ambassador Yuri Gala Lopez (left) welcomes People's National Party Chairman Robert Pickersgill. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

If there was ever an indication of the closeness between Jamaica and Cuba, it was at the Cuban National Day reception on Friday, January 8.

This was a special one for Ambassador Yuri Gala Lopez, as he was hosting his first as his country's head of mission. And he made sure his friends and colleagues from Jamaica and other nations felt right at home at his Millsborough Avenue residence.

The lively salsa music and homestyle food prepared by the friendly embassy staff added to the homely feel of the reception. The only thing Ambassador Lopez couldn't have planned for was the weather, but that didn't matter as guests were moved inside the residence to see off the showers. This actually aided the feeling of camaraderie as the close proximity of the guests got them to mix and mingle even more. And, once the drizzles abated, it was back to the lawns for the short but precise formalities, including a mini violin recital from the petite Ellinor D'Melon.

guests

Guests out included German Ambassador Jurgen Engel, Chinese Ambassador Chen Jinghua and Xiao Linhua, Senegalese Ambassador Dr Nafissatou Diagne, French Ambassador Marc-Olivier Gendry, Guillermo Hernandez, Igor Hevia, Ramon and Deidre Corvera, Marcelo Munoz and Madai Hernandez, House Speaker Delroy Chuck, Security Minister Dwight Nelson, Oswald and Marigold Harding, Phillip Paulwell, Ambassador Elinor Sherlock, Ricardo Allicock, Ambassador Evadney Coy, Elaine Reckord, O. Rodger Hutchinson, Jennifer Lim, Ian Andrews, Dr Adolfo Mena, Herman LeMont, Judith Alberga, Angela Patterson, Damion Crawford and Andrea Whyte.

Cuban Ambassador Yuri Gala Lopez (centre) hobnobs with Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ken Baugh (right) and Health Minister Ruddy Spencer at the Cuban National Day Reception, held at Millsborough Avenue on Friday, January 8.

Guardsman Alarms General Manager Garth Kitson (left) and Permanent Secretary in the security ministry Major Richard Reece (right) may be wondering if ODPEM Director General Ronald Jackson caused the chilly weather.

Nigerian High Commissioner Peter Oyedele (left) and Seabed Secretary General Nii Allotey Odunton shoot the breeze.