- Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
French Ambassador Pierre-Antoine Berniard prepares to lay a kiss on the cheek of Ada Silva, while her husband, Chilean Ambassador Alfonso Silva looks on.
Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
AND SO it is, that after near four years, His Excellency, Ambassador Pierre-Antoine Berniard, the French Ambassador to Jamaica, and his fabulous wife, Mrs. Louisa Berniard, will leave Jamaica, at the end of August, signalling the end of their tenure here.
To this end, hosting last Wednesday's Bastille Day celebrations was one of Ambassador and Mrs. Berniard's last official acts here, and for my word, it was a class act and then some!
My dears, to the French, there's nothing as sacrosanct as the celebration of Bastille Day; French wines, couture, style, industry, the French identity. And excepting of course, the celebration of Bastille Day, not necessarily, in that order. Well luvs, last Wednesday, it simply rained cats, dogs and floods, across the nation's capital, causing many to wonder, if indeed, the soggy grounds occasioned by the heavy downpour for most of the afternoon would facilitate the Jamaican leg of Bastille Day celebrations across the globe by the French?
Well, while the Jamaican guests, might have hesitated, because of the inclement weather, there was no doubt in the minds of French Embassy officials here, and nationals too, that July 14, is indeed Bastille Day, and so come hell, heaven and or High water, (which was the case here), there would be no postponing the commemoration of this sacred national event, as it was decreed, a long time ago, Bastille Day is July 14, and is to be celebrated on July 14, come rain, storm or otherwise.
Luvs, y'all would not have guessed that it did indeed rain all Wednesday afternoon, if y'all had ventured over to Hilcrest Avenue, then, as by minutes to the appointed hour of 7:00 p.m., there was a rush of high-prized luxury imports, lining all of Hilcrest Avenue, as guests queued to access the fabulous estate, that is home to the French Embassy here in Kingston.
And talk about pomp and circumstance! Well my dears, it was like that, as upon entering the embassy grounds itself, guests were greeted by a very imposing Guard of Honour, mounted by the 41st Battalion of Marines and Sentries of the French colony of Martinique, lining both sides of meandering driveway leading up to the reception area. And here, guests were then presented to a welcoming-reception-line, headed by Ambassador and Mrs. Berniard, and other embassy high-ranking officials, who all warmly greeted and welcomed guests to their annual Bastille Day celebrations, and then ushered into a party-size marquee, done up oh so fabulously in the national colours of France (Blue, White and Red), where assembled, and engaged in haute-cocktail party mode, was one of the finest assemblage of the nation's social, business, political and cultural elite, and it made for one fabulous social scene!
A FINE GATHERING
Luvs, it was like that, a fine gathering the haute-snobissimo and the governing and ruling classes, French nationals, residing here, and then some! Doves, it was la-di-dah haven, at least until during the brief ceremony during which Ambassador Berniard spoke of the historic, cultural and economic ties between both France and Jamaica, as well as to lament the decline of French as a part of the educational tool here; only moments later to hear Water Minister the Hon. Donald Buchanan, in his response, on behalf of the Government, mispronounce "Alliance Francaise" .
Darling dears, it's the stuff from which social drama is made!
Luvs, you could have heard a pin drop, as guests gawked in disbelief, others choked on their Chardonnay; some tittered nervously but all embarrassed by the snafu! Mercifully, the very Frawnch fare on hand of fabulously pungent cheeses, baguettes, cold cuts, and bon-bons made for a fine culinary repast, only topped by the buffet of very fine wines on offer!
Among those spotted, included: Richard Ashenheim; Maurice and Valerie Facey; Chris Bovell and his fashion diva of a wife Michelle Bovell; premier socialites Anthony and Jeanne Watson; David Coore; socialites emeritus Roy and Sylvia Collister; Mrs. Jennifer Lim; Dr. Ossie and Marigold Harding; Dr. Matthew Beaubrun; Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson; Opposition Spokesman on Finance MP Audley Shaw and his charming wife Maureen Shaw; Opposition Spokesman on Justice, MP Delroy Chuck and wife Pat Chuck; Senator Anthony Johnson; JDF Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin and his lovely wife Captain. Tessa Lewin; Director of Protocol Elenor Felix; British High Commissioner Peter Mathers; Canadian High Commissioner Cladio Valle, his charming wife Louise Valle, and her mom, Mrs. Edith Jarbeau; Spanish Ambassador Rafael Jover and his tres elegant wife Mrs. Lola Jover; Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Sakurai and wife Kinuko Sakurai; Mexican Ambassador Benito Andion; Chilean Ambassador Alfonso Silva and his fab wife Mrs. Ada Silva; High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago Dennis Francis; Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority Ambassador Satya Nandan; His deputy, Nii Allotey Odunton; Deputy British High Commissioner Phil Sinksinson; Counsellor of the Russian Embassy Sergey Tarasov; Honorary Consul General of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Honorary Consul of the Belgian Kingdom Robert Cartade and his wife, premier socialite and heiress Carole Issa-Cartade; Captain. Michael Lyn and his revered wife, social Empress and Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Thailand, the regal Mrs. Thalia Lyn; Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Korea Yvon Desulme and his fabulous wife Mrs. Cynthia Desulme; Honorary Consul of the Lithuanian Republic Lois Sherwood; Honorary Consul of Finland Andrew Issa and his lovely wife Debbie Issa; Defense and Naval Attache of the US Embassy, Commander. Martin Hundley.
OTHER GUESTS
Also out were: Ian and Celia Levy; celebrated architect Marvin Goodman and wife Mrs. Rosaley Goodman; Michael Campbell; Dr. Charles and Corina Meeks; the charming Hillary Phillips Q.C.; Ambassador Madge Barrett; Mrs. Barbara Gloudon; Joey Issa; the elegant Mrs. Darilyn Foreman; Mark Pritchett; Mrs. Belinda Levy; Gilou Bauer; Dr. Wesley Hughes; Peter and Donnia Bovell; Dr. Barbara Carby; EG Hunter; the charmingly lovely Mrs. Erica Cooke-Nissim; Merrick and Camille Needham; AnneMarie Feanny; Arnold and Clare Bertram; Janet Farrow; Captain. David McRae; Dr. Blossom O'Mealy-Nelson; Wayne and Janet Kirkpatrick; the lovely Marilyn Bennett; Dr. Herb and Rita Elliott; Victoria Meeks; Monique van Spankeran; the lovely Neryl Wilson-Brydon; Andrew Stanigar; Dame Sybille N'Toutoume-Obame; Sandrea Falconer; Dwieght Peters; and the charming Henrietta Williams; plus a number of others, including officials of the Embassy and the Alliance Francaise de la Jamaique!
But there's no gainsaying it, it was one fabulous Bastille Day celebration, and then some!
