Chief executive officer of PROComm, Jean Lowrie-Chin (left), welcomes Tammie Parnell, wife of the new United States Charge d'Affaires. They were attending a media reception hosted by USAID and the public affairs section of the American Embassy at the Courtleigh Hotel on Tuesday.

Journalism is sometimes a thankless profession. When you probe deeply to uncover the wrong, people say 'yu too fast'. Get the facts incorrect, people say you're careless and need to do your homework. So whenever the press gets a big 'thank you' from somebody, anybody, it helps to massage the ego a bit.

Which leads to what took place at the Courtleigh Hotel on Tuesday as officials of both the Public Affairs section of the United States Embassy and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), hosted a media-appreciation reception. Public Affairs Officer, Patricia Attkisson, and USAID Mission Director, Dr Karen Hilliard, both expressed their gratitude to the local press for the good coverage and balanced reporting.

New members

Friendly banter was the order of the night as guests mixed and mingled. Three new members of the embassy team were present to meet the press. Consul General David Stone; American Citizens Service Chief, Steve Brault; and Chargé d'Affaires, Isiah Parnell (with wife Tammie) had the ears of all, as they settled into their new jobs. The occasion also heralded a departure with public relations coordinator Alethia Lambert saying her farewell from the embassy as she pursues a career in law.

Guests out included: President of the Press Association of Jamaica, Byron Buckley; Ben Brodie, Earl Moxam, Owen James, Angela Patterson, Arthur Hall, Audley Boyd, Glenroy Sinclair, Kareem LaTouche, Kemesha Parkins, Karyl Walker, Andrew Canon, Dara Smith, Brenton Morris, Tomlin Ellis, Vernon Davidson, Kevin Jackson, Ruth Chisholm and Angela Harvey.

USAID Misision Director Dr Karen Hilliard jokes with David Stone (left), new US consul general, and Steve Brault, the new American citizen service chief at the US Embassy. They were at a media reception hosted by the public affairs section of the embassy and USAID at the Courtleigh Hotel on Tuesday. - photos by Colin Hamilton/freelance photographer

Yvonne Wilks (right) of Radio Jamaica Group adds her own welcome for Isiah and Tammie Parnell at the media reception.

Public affairs officer at the US Embassy, Patricia Attkisson (left), jokes with departing public relations coordinator, Alethia Lambert, who will be leaving to study law.