From left, Brian Boothe, branch manager of CIBC Montego Bay, Stafford Robinson, general manager, branch services and Denny Chadiram of Bijoux chat at the CIBC party at the Half Moon Golf and Beach resort. - Janet Silvera
WESTERN BUREAU:
MEMORIES OF the good old days, conversation pieces denoting a great party, loyal customers, butlers passed hors d'oeuvres, premium wines were all CIBC Montego Bay needed to reclaim its party frontier in the second city last Saturday evening.
The unusual occasion was a refreshing change for the bank that has been somewhat of a quiet giant in the city for a number of years. The quietness that was almost deafening seems to have taken a turn in 2002. And what better way to start than with a revolutionary cocktail reception in an intimate setting at Half Moon's Oleander (La Baguette) Restaurant.
"We thought we would recognise our valued customers and its been a while since we have had a function of this nature," says Brian Boothe, branch manager, Montego Bay. "We do business in the community, so its our way of giving back to the community."
Mr. Boothe, who had the support of his senior managers, Raymond Campbell, vice-president of commercial clients and corporate affairs, and Stafford Robinson, general manager, branch banking along with a united team of staff from his St. James Street branch went all out in making the evening an unforgettable one.
An array of international cheese, a wide variety of sweet Jamaican fruits, mousse au chocolate, honey curd ham, crab cakes, vegetable spring rolls, chicken wings and surf and turf kebab are just a few of the treats that titillated the palates.
The food, the laughter and the chattering that filled the evening was complemented by the waves beating against the rocks in the ocean which played background music for a part of the evening. "I have been coming to Montego Bay once per month for the past six months and I knew we had to do something special for the Montegonians, they are a special people," a more than satisfied Raymond Campbell told The Gleaner. "Business in Montego Bay has picked up and we are very happy."
The bankers made beauty contestant mogul Lachu Ramchandani, Indru Dadlani, Kishin and Kumar Samtani happy. It brought out North West Airlines' Roger Mike Rowe, Patrick Reid, Nathan and Jackie Robb, Valda Stewart and Kerry Bassaragh. Phyllis Jones, Pat Daley-Smith, Werner Hein, Peter Williams, Basil and Beverly Johnson, Keith Kirlew, Pino Maffessanti, Gordon and Ann Townsend.
- Janet Silvera
