Belgium celebrates

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

It was one of the fabbest parties of the season, and then some. It boasted style, old-world elegance, Continental charm and fabulous pizzazz! The music was simply divine - eclectic and oh so agreeable. And then there was the fare - a feast that was fit for royalty, topped by imported Belgian chocolate that provided a rendezvous with the senses!

It was all that and more for a reception in celebration of King's Day, in honour of the Belgian monarch, King Albert II. The hosts were Belgian ambassador to Jamaica, Frederic Meurice, and his wife Lydie, at their official residence in the upper St Andrew neighbourhood of Millsborough two Mondays ago.

Beloved of his people as a unifying symbol, King Albert II ascended the throne in 1993. In recent times, however, there's been much speculation that he was getting ready to abdicate, in favour of the ascension of his son and heir apparent, Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant, to the throne. There was also talk about the continued stability of Belgium as a harmonious state. These issues were adequately addressed in Ambassador Meurice's address.

The speech was tantamount to a State of the Nation address, except that it was a more comprehensive overview of the relations between Jamaica and Belgium, highlighting areas of cooperation and trade. It gave a better understanding of the relationship between the two countries.

Renewed interest

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Dr Ken Baugh, in his response, was effusive in his praise of the renewed interest Belgium is now showing in the region, particularly here in Jamaica, following its decision to reopen the embassy here. Both men symbolically cemented the new bond with toasts to the king of the Belgians and his subjects!

Musicologist Leslie Sherman performed special Belgian selections.

Among those out were: Senate President Dr Oswald Harding and wife, the custos of St Andrew, Marigold Harding; speaker of the House, Delroy Chuck; Chief Justice Zaila McCalla; Ambassador Douglas Saunders; Ambassador Elinor Felix; Director of Protocol Ricardo Allicock; Maurice Facey and wife Valerie; head of the European Union Delegation, Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni, and wife Fiela; Russian Ambassador Viktor Zotin and wife Olga; German Ambassador Jurgen Engel; French Ambassador Marc-Olivier Gendry; Spanish Ambassador Celsa Nuño and her husband Alex Crowther; United States Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater; Ambassador Chen Jinghua of China; Ambassador Hiroshi Yamaguchi and wife Yoko of Japan; Ambassador Masahiro Obata and Kinuko Obata; British High Commissioner Richard Drake and wife Gillian; Canadian High Commissioner Stephen Hallihan and wife Cathy; Indian High Commissioner Mohinder Grover; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda and Nigel Pagon; Colombian Ambassador Ventura E. Diaz-Mejia; Argentinean Ambassador Mario José Pino and daughter Mercedes Pino; outgoing Brazilian Ambassador Ruben Milito Gueiros and wife Gladys; Ambassador Dr Nafissatou Diagne of Senegal; Ambassador Yuri Gala Lopez and Yaima Gonzalez, of Cuba; Ambassador David McField of Nicaragua; Ambassador José Ayres of the Dominican Republic; head of the International Seabed Authority, Ambassador Nii Allotey Odunton; consul general at the French Embassy, Bruno Jouannem; chargé d'affaires of the South African High Commission, Peter Makwarela; Chargé d'Affaires Max Alce, of the Haitian Embassy; Richard West and wife Diane Allen West of the Belgian Embassy; and the charming Santa Dziallas of the German Embassy.

Also out were honorary consul of Iceland and dean of the Consular Corps, Robert MacMillan; honorary consul of Lithuania, Lois Sherwood; honorary consul of Poland, Irena Cousins; honorary consul of Ecuador, Clelia Barreto de Hunter; honorary consul of the Royal Thai Kingdom, Thalia Lyn and husband, Captain Michael Lyn; honorary consul of Costa Rica Lisa McGregor Johnston and husband Charley Johnston; honorary consul of Latvia, Robert Scott; Dr Herb Elliott; Seragh and Effie Lakasingh; Badrul and Rubina Haque of the World Bank; Jennifer Lim; Col Trevor MacMillan and wife Dr Olivia McDonald; Rear Admiral (Ret) Peter Brady and wife Carol; Dr Dhiru and Dr Laura Tanna; Dr Karen de Cuelaer; the Rev Deacon Peter Espeut and Velia Espeut; Derrick and Sandra Mahfood; Evon and Betsy Williams; Patrick Wong and wife Peta-Gay MacMillan Wong; Anthony Chang; Maree Sigurdson; Lachu Ramchandani, in from Montego Bay; the lovely Nicole Hoo-Fatt; the very exciting Millicent Lynch; Geoff Lewis; celebrated ceramist Norma Harrack; Herman and Eunice van Asbroeck; David Bennett; Yvonne Kerr-Douglas; the dapper Roger Hinds and the absolutely fab Marisa Benain; Mr and Mrs Mark Taylor; the lovely Jacqui Nielssen; June Hughes; Mr and Mrs Marc Rammealaere.

Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer