Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Seeing the big picture? NHT's Earl Samuels (centre) chats with Horace Chang (left) and Donald Buchanan. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Talk about being caught between a rock and a very hard place. Well, on the face of it, this is exactly where Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition party seems to be. After nearly two decades of being in the political wilderness it would appear that their hope to ascend the throne of governance, rests on the perception that the people, having grown tired and disenchanted with the PNP, will, consequentially, usher them into the political cockpit!

But daahlings, last Wednesday, Minister of Development, Donald Buchanan and his wife, Councillor Dorothy Buchanan, threw what proved a most charming cocktail reception, on the lawns of Jamaica House. This soire was in honour of Christopher Anand, the managing director of Tavistock Group, the American consortium, undertaking the US$2-billion luxury resort development, slated for Harmony Cove, in Trelawny!

Dubbed a 'Resort City', construction of the first phase of the multi-layered model resort and high-priced community is slated to get under way within the next 18 to 24 months.

Boost for tourism

And, my dears, it promises not only to provide thousands of jobs, but also promises to boost the island's tourism image as it's slated to include two world-class golf courses and a mega-marina, in the first phase of the development.

Well, me daahlings, what's there not to cheer about!

Well, to update its partners in the development, the Jamaican Government and a number of private-sector agencies and bodies, Christopher Anand and a high-powered team that included, John Brady Jr. and Douglas E. McMahon, jetted into Kingston early last week for a series of briefings and updates. And so it was, that the Hon. Donald Buchanan and wife hosted the fab little reception and a getting acquainted fam-session for the leading players in the project, and it made for one fine outing!

Christopher Anand (left) of Tavistock Group tells Fitz Jackson what's on his mind at the cocktail reception for members of the Tavistock Group, held on the lawns of Jamaica House, Hope Road, last Tuesday. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Hosted on the great lawns of the island's premier political and diplomatic address, the affair was really an intimate power-packed pow wow that had some leading personalities more than exchanging pleasantries, but actually getting to the 'meet'-of-the-matter!

My dears, it was international prime time and nothing but, high finance the name of the game, the power players and social guineagogs, all a-huddling over premium libations; the renowned musician Ibo Cooper, and his aggregation Cure, taking it to another level by providing some absolutely fabulous music, that not only lent itself to the easiness of the affair, it had a number of guests snapping and or tapping to the marvellous melodies and songs being offered up by the talented musical ensemble. And amid the flowing libations and choice nibbles on offer, it all made for one savvy outing and then some, as y'all know we are talking nothing but high finance and fab development here.

Intimately fab

Yep, it was like that, intimately fab to the core. Among the notables spotted were: Cabinet Secretary Dr. Carlton Davis; Deputy Finance and Planning Minister Fitz Jackson; former Tourism Minister and industry power player, the esteemed Frank Pringle; businessman Joe A. Matalon; former government minister Desmond Leaky; former Information Minister Colin Campbell; Government MP Dr. Patrick Harris; Opposition MP Dr. Horace Chang; chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, Dennis Morrison; National Commercial Bank's Patrick Hylton; FCIB's Milton Brady; Jenny Manley; chairman of the NHT, Alva Anderson; Jacqueline DaCosta; president of the NWC E.G. Hunter: Dr. Lorna Simmonds; trade unionist Lambert Brown; Pamela Redwood of the office of the Prime Minister; Attorney Michael Vaccianne; Ann Shirley; JAMPRO's Robert Gregory; Sancia Templer; also of JAMPRO; the gorgeous Sonia Rickards; Jamaica National's Earl Jarrett; CEO of Couples Resorts; Glenn Lawrence; Mandeville businessman Maxie Bell; press secretary to the PM, Lincoln Robinson; JIS's Huntley Medley; Robert Bryan; Montego Bay businessman Kirk Taylor; Janice Holness; Derek Peart; architectChristopher Whyms Stone and wife Nicola; plus a number of other.

And so, cheers it is, to Destination Jamaica!