Spain's big night!

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Did someone say there was a recession in Spain? Well, my dears, there was no sign of that recession last Wednesday when the Spanish ambassador, Her Excellency Celsa Nuño, and her husband, the dapper Alex Crowther, threw what was a swelleganza of a reception at the Mona Visitors' Lodge, over there on the University of the West Indies Mona campus, to commemorate Spain's National Day.

Talk about a fab-fest, dears, this was one such do!

Dears, to begin with, Ambassador Celsa Nuño and husband Alex Crowther are simply fabulous hosts, and are known and celebrated on the social and diplomatic circuits for their pizzazz and haute panache! Well, on Wednesday of last week, Spain's First Couple here in Jamaica hosted the party of the season. It is now the most-talked-about diplomatic reception of all times in celebration of the National Day of Spain.

Dears, we are talking red carpet here and style perfect in every which way, but fabulously so, in terms of content and flair. The venue was done up in the national colours of Spain, the reception hall and lounge boasting a number of bars and food kiosks as the Spanish hotels in Jamaica came to the city and put on a culinary and libation show.

And topping it all, the island's leading citizenry came out dressed to the nines for the occasion. And luvs, it made not just for a study in sartorial elegance and couture styling, but for the perfect accompaniment to what was truly an auspicious occasion.

And when we say auspicious, we mean Capital A as, my dears, with Her Excellency, Ambassador sporting an elegantly styled créme ensemble, and her husband styled like a model from Gentleman's Quarterly, you know we are talking a fashionable high note here.

Indeed, little wonder that, a week later, the event is still being talked about, and in reverential tones as the import and stature of the occasion was mirrored in tone and essence by those in attendance. And it was such a fabulous outing that many who guested, milked the event for its very last ounce of enjoyment, and children, how!

The evening began with Ambassador Nuño, her husband Alex Crowther, and Victoria Gomez, providing a red-carpet welcome and reception line for arriving guests.

Naturally, there was an official interlude that began with the playing of the Spanish and Jamaican national anthems, in that order, and followed by Ambassador Nuno's official address which spoke to the history and ties that bind her country and the host nation, as well as the current state of affairs. And in his reply on behalf of the people and government of Jamaica, Foreign Affairs Minister Senator AJ Nicholson lauded the spirit of cooperation and unity that has underpinned the relationship between Spain and Jamaica, and following official toasts, it was back to the festivities.

Among those out sharing in the occasion were Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator A.J. Nicholson; Junior Minister Arnaldo Brown; Former Governor General Sir Kenneth and Lady Hall; Professor Dr Oswald Harding and wife the Hon Marigold, the custos of St Andrew; the custos of Kingston, the Hon Steadman Fuller and his fabulously charming wife Sonia; Director of Public Prosecutions the charming Paula Llewellyn; Contractor General Greg Christie and his fab wife Janice; Archbishop of Kingston the Most Rev Charles Dufour; ACP John McLean; Monsignor Richard Albert; honorary consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Capt Michael Lyn and wife Thalia Lyn, the Honorary Consul of the Royal Thai Kingdom; Christopher and Michelle Bovell, and a host of other leading socialites.

Lauding Seaga

Edward
Seaga is a political leader of whom Jamaicans can be justly proud as his
history of contribution in terms of institution building and
infrastructural development cannot be challenged.

With
the fullness of time, many can now take a dispassionate view of Edward
Seaga, the political leader, MP and legislator, and rightly chose to
honour him with an extraordinary sitting of our joint houses. No one in
and out of our Parliament should begrudge Edward Seaga the belated
accolades now being heaped on him as, indeed, any thorough examination
of Seaga's record and history will show that here's a man who is a
patriot.

Indeed, it was fitting that, in the period
when the country honours its heroes, our Parliamentarians past and
present got together to honour one of their own who is truly deserving
of the moniker and entitlement of the rank of
hero.

And so it was that, two Wednesdays ago,
following on the extraordinary joint sitting of the House, the Leader of
the Opposition MP Andrew Holness and wife Mrs Juliette Holness threw a
reception in honour of Edward Seaga at The Jamaica Pegasus
hotel.

Dears, it was a gathering of the old and new,
in terms of political faces and personalities, with a liberal dose of
leading luminaries from various social, cultural and economic sectors,
but more interestingly, some of the former JLP leader's arch political
rivals and sworn enemies, whose presence made for a simply titillating
evening!

Dears, it was a fab affaire, with all the
political intrigue expected when Edward Seaga is the man on centre
stage. Essentially, it was the tale of two parties at the political
level, but socially, everybody was in one. This was a party of the
finest order. We are talking a master class here as, indeed, the hotel
transformed its grand ballroom into one giant lounge with appropriate
bars and staffers to attend the hundreds of guests in attendance, and
simply went to town in what was truly a multi-cultural feast that
embraced Japanese, English, American and Jamaican culinary delights. And
it made for a spectacular feast!

There was a cultural
feast too, as members of the Tivoli Gardens Dance Ensemble drew from
their very extensive repertoire in toasting Mr
Seaga.

The World and his wife were out, too, headlined
by: Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller; Mining and Technology
Minister Phillip Paulwell; Minister Anthony Hylton; Culture and Youth
Minister Lisa Hanna; Opposition MPs Dr Kenneth Baugh; Audley Shaw and
wife, the beautiful Mrs Suzanne Shaw; Dr Horace Chang; Pearnel Charles;
Derrick Smith and wife Karlene; Karl Samuda and wife Pauline; Babsy
Grange; Shahine Robinson; James Robertson; Desmond McKenzie; Daryl Vaz;
Senator Tom Tavares-Finson; Senator Kamina Johnson Smith; Custos of
Kingston The Hon Steadman Fuller and wife Sonia; Custos of St Andrew Mrs
Marigold Harding, and scores of others.