Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor 
Head of the EU delegation, Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni (left), laughs with President of the Senate, Dr Oswald Harding, and Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall at the European Day reception on Hyperion Avenue, St Andrew, on Friday, May 9. - Photos by Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer
There are heads of missions and there are heads of missions.
Here in Kingston, where the diplomatic scene is an integral part, heads of missions help in setting the tone of the social scene.
In their official capacities, they are required from time to time to play the role of hosts extraordinaire in celebrating national days, holidays, royal birthdays and decrees (where applicable) or in hosting visiting delegations.
In this respect, the history, personality and prominence of the mission, geopolitical considerations and social skills of the individual all go into the mix when it comes to the success of any reception/party being hosted.
In this vein, the European Union (EU) delegation here in Kingston has had the benefit of being led by very adept diplomats over the many years since the establishing of diplomatic relations with Jamaica.
Successive heads of mission have demonstrated a willingness to understand the peculiarities of a developing state like ours, and sought to have that come into play when implementing policy. On the social note, succeeding EU heads have demonstrated that theirs is not the desire to serve from up on high, opting instead for meaningful interaction with the population at large.
Well, my dears, now in his second year as head of the EU delegation, His Excellency Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni, with his charming wife Fiela, have proven more than equal to the task. He, a career diplomat of Italian nationality and she, an accomplished artist and Moroccan by birth, have immersed themselves in the national fabric of the country, learning and sharing as they execute their official duties; a move that have earned them the respect of all.
Spectacular do
May 9 is perhaps the EU's single most important calendar date, as it is celebrated worldwide as Europe Day. It marks the May 9, 1950 declaration by then French foreign minister Robert Schumann, which became the foundation on which today's united and expanding EU is founded.
In Kingston, this annual calendar event is celebrated with the pomp and circumstance befitting the commemoration of the historical and political union.
Hosted at the upper St Andrew official residence of the EU head, the evening's celebratory reception proved a spectacular do, and then some, as the ambassador and his wife threw the ultimate smasheroni.
Luvs, with the weather being somewhat inclement lately, and almost so annually, precautionary marquees were in place for this eventuality. It did not rain, however, but with the lawns of the residence ringed with marquees, the fab Lorraine Fung and her staff doing the culinary honours, and the bar flowing like everybody's business, there was no escaping the atmosphere of fabness and sense of occasion.
It was like that but with a twist, as following upon the playing of the anthems of Jamaica and the EU; and the official messages from the host and the response on behalf of the government and people of Jamaica, it was then over to the chosen entertainment for the evening, the Italian reggae band named Alborosie and the Shengen Clan, who upped the ante a bit with a fab performance that saw some guests snapping and/or jamming to the rhythm of the performers. Suffice it to say, it went into overtime!
Notables in attendance
Among the notables were Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Hall; Prime Minister Bruce Golding; president of the Senate, Dr Ossie Harding and wife Marigold; Finance Minister Audley Shaw; (then acting) Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne; Minister of Information Culture and Sports Olivia 'Babsy' Grange; Mayor of Kingston, Senator Desmond McKenzie; Senator Tom Tavares-Finson and wife, Rose; Opposition MPs Dr Omar Davies and Anthony Hylton; Chief Justice Zaila McCalla; Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn; Director of Protocol Sandra Grant-Griffiths; John Issa and his daughter, the lovely Muna Issa; Dennis Lalor; Ambassador Richard and Margaret Bernal; Ambassador Madge Barrett and husband Tunty; Ambassador Maxine Roberts; Desmond and Peggy Blades; Chris and Michelle Bovell; Charles Hanna; Earl and Beverly Junor-Levy.
Also out were British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell and his companion Dr Barbara Munske; Spanish Ambassador Jesús Silva and wife Sara; German Ambassador Jurgen Engel; Belgian Ambassador Herman Portacarero and wife Myriam; Chinese Ambassador Chen Jinghua and wife Xiao Linhua; Russian Ambassador Viktor Zotin and his wife Olga Zotin; Canadian High Commissioner Denis Kingsley and Jo Ann Kingsley; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda; Argentine Ambassador Mario Pino and wife Fanny; head of the International Seabed Authority, Ambassador Satya Nandan; Deputy Chief of Mission in the German Embassy Maria Friedrich Boerger, and husband Anton, and UNICEF's representative Bertrand Bainvel.
Also spotted were Dean of the Consular Corps and Honorary Consul of Slovakia, Christopher Issa; Honorary Consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Honorary Consul of the Royal Thai kingdom Thalia Lyn and hubby Capt Michael Lyn; Honorary Consul of Lithuania Lois Lake-Sherwood; Honorary Consul of Botswana Geoff Brown and wife Janet; Honorary Consul of Ecuador Clelia Barreto de Hunter; Honorary Consul of Poland Irena Cousins and Honorary Consul of the Philippines Everoy Chin.
Carol MacMillan, Peta-Gaye MacMillan and Rebecca Tortello having a great time.
These five raised their glasses to make a toast at the reception. From left are Johanna Lindgren, Antoinette Ming, Corine Deleu, Rebecca Silvera and Geovani Swaby.
Carmen Bassi (left) and Juliette Ritzenthler having fun.
