Left: Ambassador Richard Bernal Right: Derek Jones - File photos

Ambassador Dr Richard Bernal, an economist and international trade expert, and Derek Jones, a renowned attorney at law, have been selected as this year's recipients of the Carlton Alexander Award, its presenters have announced.

The award, named after one of Jamaica's most revered business pioneers, is presented to two past students of Jamaica College - a boys only high school - who have distinguished themselves in their professions or in business.

Bernal, a former central banker, among other jobs, currently heads the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery - the body that negotiates trade deals on behalf of the Caricom bloc.

He demits that office on June 30 and heads for Washington, where he will take up the post of resident representative to the Inter-American Development Bank.

For Bernal, he is returning to a city with which he is already well familiar.

Jamaica's ambassador

Before to his posting at the CRNM, Bernal was Jamaica's ambassador to the United States.

He returns to Washington six months after negotiating for Caricom a new trade agreement with the European Union bloc, which is expected to be signed next month.

Jones, 60, a partner of Myers Fletcher and Gordon, one of Jamaica's largest law firms, has been practising in Jamaica for 38 years and is an expert in commercial law.

He has worked with his current firm since 1976, and throughout the years has served on a number of company boards, lectured at the Norman Manley Law School, and has been a radio talk-show host and former president of the Jamaican Bar Association.

Honorary consul

Jones was appointed honorary consul to Sweden in May 2001. Alongside those duties, he is chair of the Jamaica College Trust and the Cable & Wireless Jamaica Pension Fund.

He is also an honorary legal adviser to the British high commissioner to Jamaica.

The Carlton Alexander Awards have been presented annually since 1990 by the Jamaica Old Boys Association.

Bernal and Jones will be honoured at the annual awards dinner on Wednesday, where Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who was a recipient of the award in 2002, will be guest speaker.

Proceeds from the dinner will fund the school's student welfare and sports programmes.

business@gleanerjm.com