Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke and Lady Cooke. - FileGOVERNOR-GENERAL Sir Howard Cooke and Lady Cooke, were honoured by the Consular Corps of Jamaica at the Corps' annual banquet held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday night.
In paying tribute to the Governor-General, Dean of the Consular Corps of Jamaica, Arnold Foote, described him as "a superb Governor-General; a man of decency, honesty, humility, sincerity and a man of God."
The citation read to the Governor-General by the Vice Dean of the Corps, Grantley Stephenson, Honorary Consul for Norway, referred to Sir Howard's contribution to international relations and diplomacy, to his work as a Minister of Government, to his business acumen, especially in the insurance industry, and to his excellence in the field of academia.
The Consular Corps Award of Excellence was also presented to the Governor-General by the Dean of the Corps.
Lady Cooke was also presented with gifts of a framed portrait of herself and Sir Howard by Mrs. Lois Lake-Sherwood, Honorary Consul for Lithuania, and a crystal vase from Poland, engraved with the Corps' logo, by Mrs. Irena Cousins, Honorary Consul for Poland.
In his welcome address, Mr. Foote referred to the success of the International Forum of the Americas 2002, held in Montego Bay earlier this year, and thanked the Organisation of American States (OAS) for the confidence it has in the ability of the Corps to organise a successful Forum.
He pointed to the Declaration of Montego Bay which was created at the Forum by delegates, seeking changes in the status of career and non-career Consuls as now contained in the Vienna Convention.
