- Norman Grindley/Staff Photographer
This couple had eyes only for each other as they danced away 2003 at the Terra Nova Hotel in St. Andrew on New Year's Eve.
Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
IT WAS a triumphant way to herald the arrival of the year 2004, and all her possibilities!
And sweet-things, y'all know, that when it comes to throwing a party, none does so better than security mogul Kenny Benjamin.
And pumpkins, for last New Year's Eve celebrations on Wednesday night/Thursday morning, hosted at his tres grand Stony Hill Estate, the bon vivant and raconteur was in fine form!
Oh my word, what a rush. The fabulousness! The style! And the elan! Dovecakes, it represented a host crowning glory! A guest ultimate nirvana! And the supreme triumph of civilised and utter good taste!
Hosted in one of the more beautiful garden setting this side of fabdom, the affaire was to-die-for. Daahlings, and trust moi, the setting was magical and priceless in its fabulousness!
GUEST LIST OF THE POWERFUL
We are talking a lush garden here with a rushing waterfall cascading into a lovely little brook, boasting a school of rare koi as the backdrop for a cocktail area, the elevated stage of the garden theatre serving as a smoking 'parlour' if you will, and done up flawlessly to reflect the host's sense of haute style.
And as for the guests, dearhearts, the party reeked of power, money, style and fabulousness, like no other. We are talking an august gathering here and then some with among the very many dignitaries, notables and personalities spotted included Sir Allister and Lady McIntyre; Canadian/Jamaican multimillionaire Raymond Chang and his companion, the fabulous Donnette Chin-Loy; Texan millionaire Dennis Joslin and his charmingly fabulous wife Jane Joslin; Las Chin and his wife, the lovely Dr. Eileen Gonzalez-Chin; Health Minister John Junor and his wife Erla; Industry Minister Phillip Paulwell and his companion, the beautiful Donna Aries; Junior Tourism Minister Dr. Wykeham McNeil and companion, the gorgeous Sheila Benjamin Fernandez; Senator Bruce Golding and wife Lorna; MP Audley Shaw and his lovely wife Maureen; MP Ruddy Spencer; Senator Dr. David Panton and wife Lisa Hanna; Head of the JDF Rear-Admiral Hardly and Tessa Lewin; Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police and Mrs. Tilford Johnson; Jamaica's Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago HE Lorne McDonnough and his fabulous wife, Michelle Gyles McDonnough; Tourism Director Paul Pennycook; the gorgeous Suzie Benjamin, looking as fabulous as ever, with her children Nicholas and Brooke Benjamin also out!
There were also the British High Commissioner HE Peter and Elisabeth Mathers; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation HE Edward and Marion Malayan; Canadian High Commissioner HE Claudio and Louise Valle and her mom Edith Jaiberu, who danced up a storm; Chilean Ambassador HE Fernando and Alix Pardo; Icelandic Honorary Consul Robert MacMillan and Maree Sigurdson; Captain Mike Lyn and wife Thalia, the Honorary Consul of Thailand; Dr. John and Paddy Masterton; Commander DRS and Iris Harvey; Adrian and Darilyn Foreman; Ainsley and Marjorie Henriques; Adrian Robinson; the fabulous Gloria Moodie; Joe Matalon and companion, the beautiful Bernadette McKinley Morin; Zia Mian; Lester Spaulding and the lovely Maureen Ricketts; Noel and Jacqueline DaCosta; Dr. Charles and Corina Meeks; William and Andrea Chin-See; Peter and Margaret Jarvis; Carl and Hyacinth Chantrelle; Ray and Sharon Barrett; Kingsley Cooper and Romae Gordon; Hubert Chin and wife, Jean Lowrie-Chin; Ron Brown and wife, Valerie Juggan-Brown; Captain David McRae and Belinda Phillips; Gary and Bernadette Barrow; Charles and Brunetta Matthews; Glen Kaisse squiring Minna Israel, the two dancing up a fabulous tsunami; Patrick Hylton; the love Denise Cubrie; Howard and Linda Mitchell; George Cumming and his fabulous wife, Debbie; Steve and Betty-May Ashley; the oh-so fabulous Betty Delfosse-Ingleton; Sophia Max-Brown who danced the night away with Canadian banker John Eckel; Janet Farrow; the lovely Louise Finnegan; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Burke; Lloyd and Yvonne Wilks; Keith Collister and the divinely hot Carol Pessoa; Mr. and Mrs. Campbell Barrow; the gorgeous Tanya HoShue; Anna Treasure; Ian Neita and companion; the fabulously lovely Audrey Miller; Laura Kolupanowicz, who jetted in from Canada for the affair; the beautiful Shay Benjamin, who flew in from Florida; 'Miss Hotness' herself, modeling sensation Nadine Willis; and Danhai Williams and his companion Dancehall Queen Carlene.
