Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Anthony Hylton cuts the 'birthday' cake with Fanny Pino, wife of Argentine ambassador Jose Pino, at the Argentina national day reception. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

In the relatively short time they have been posted in Jamaica, Argentine Ambassador Mario Pino and wife Fanny have quickly become favourites on the social scene. So when the duo hosted their country's national day reception on Thursday, quite a few members of the diplomatic and consular corps came out to celebrate with them. Even national technical director Bora Milutinovic came out to celebrate with the South Americans, and having coached a few teams in Latin America, his Spanish was right up there with the native speakers.

There was much literature on the South American nation. Guests were free to have a read as well as peruse photos depicting some of Argentina's more eye-catching sites and customs. Ambassador Pino was delighted to be sharing his second national day event as he has been in Jamaica for approximately a year and two months. He thanked the ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade officials for their assistance.

In his reply, Minister Anthony Hylton lauded Argentina's leaders for taking the country from economic crisis to success in the global economy. He also applauded the government's commitment to such virtues as human rights and democracy.

Since it was a birthday party and all, a specially prepared cake bore the flags of both countries.

Guests included High Commissioner of St. Kitts and Nevis Cedric Harper and wife Barbara; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda; Maria Friedrich-Boerger, deputy to the German Ambassador; Chinese Ambassador Chen Jinghua and wife Xiao Linhua; Canadian High Commissioner Denis Kingsley and wife Jo'Ann; Chilean Ambassador Alfonso Silva; husband of the Cuban Ambassador Jorge Crespo and daughter Beatriz; Ecuadorian Consul Clelia Barreto de Hunter; Dora Doig from the Argentine embassy; honorary consul to Lithuania Lois Lake-Sherwood; honorary consul to Iceland Robert MacMillan; honorary consul to Thailand Thalia Lyn and husband Michael; Ambassador Maxine Roberts and sister Valerie; Peter Brady; Myrtha DeSulme; Hugh and Ouida Dunphy; Loxley and Pauline Lindo; Tony and Yvonne Ray; E. Courtenay Rattray; Richard Stewart; Henry Rainford; Ada Morales; Annette Insanally; Dr. Adolfo Mena and Maria Pinchin.