Nashauna Drummond, Lifestyle Coordinator

We are all in this together, could be what Dean at the University of the West Indies, Professor Barry Chevannes (right), must be saying to Dr. Peter Figueroa of the Ministry of Health, at the launch of the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference on HIV/AIDS on Hope Road last Thursday - PHOTOS BY Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

They were in the island to talk serious business, but on Tuesday they took the time to meet, greet and relax before tackling the mammoth task ahead.

They were U.S. chiefs of missions from around the Caribbean, at the launch of the 6th annual U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference on HIV/AIDS. This year's theme was 'The role of Regional Cooperation in Fighting HIV/AIDS'. The conference was held at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston from October 3-5.

Though they were all stationed in different countries, they were by no means strangers, at least not by the end of the night. The fact that everyone wore a name tag greatly facilitated this process.

U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica, Brenda LaGrange Johnson, outlined the importance of the conference. She noted that there were 250,000 persons in Jamaica living with the disease, one million in the U.S. and 39 million globally. With the Caribbean region having the second highest rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world, no more needed to be said.

From left: U.S. Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson, her husband Howard Johnson, and former U.S. Ambassador Sue Cobb in conference before the real conference began.

Former Commissioner of Police Trevor McMillan, Consul General at the U.S. Embassy Edward Wehrli, and Dean at the University of the West Indies, Professor Barry Chevannes, taking it easy.

Among those present

Among those present were former U.S. Ambassador Sue Cobb, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana David Robinson, U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas Brent Hardt, Betty Ann Blaine from Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Dean of the University of the West Indies, Professor Barry Chevannes, Bradley Finzi-Smith of Food For the Poor, Morin Seymour of Kingston Restoration Company, Brenda Cuthbert, COK, Yvonne Clarke of Jamaica Red Cross, Dean of Diplomatic Corps Cedric Harper, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Donald Robinson, Michael Conway of Air Jamaica, Fabian Brown, St. Patrick's Foundation, Sonita Morin-Abrahams of Rise Life Management Servics, Father Gregory Ramkisson, Mustard Seed Communities, and Dr. Peter Figueroa of the Ministry of Health.

Though they gathered to talk serious business, Sonita Morin-Abrahams of Rise Life Manage-ment Services still takes time out to share a smile with U.S. Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson at a reception to launch the sixth annual U.S. Chiefs of Mission HIV/AIDS Conference at the United States Embassy last Tuesday. The conference ran from October 3-5.