Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Are these legs gorgeous or what? We should make it mandatory that they dress this way for the office too, but whatever they wear, businessmen (from left) Tony Bell, Oliver Clarke and Mike Lyn know how to enjoy themselves. - Contributed

Retiring Canadian High Commissioner HE Claudio Valle, and his very charming wife, Mrs. Louise Valle, came to serve, and serve they did. They sought no accolades, though they earned them. And above all else, they made it clear in thought and deed that their time here was never about them, but about the service of their country and developmental assistance to ours.

You would imagine that for a couple who served so well, there would have been an orgy of parties in their honour, in light of their impending departure! Well, offers there were aplenty, but preferring substance over appearance, they opted to choose a quieter social programme that embraced friends.

Power-packed brunch

Well, my daahlings, last Sunday, Their Excellencies Claudio and Louise Valle guested at one of the very few receptions in their honour, on the eve of their departure. And this was a charming and power-packed brunch, hosted in their honour by Captain Michael and Thalia Lyn, along with legal luminary George Fatta, at the Lyns fabulous Old Stony Hill home.

Those gathered were a critically-hand-picked list of friends, colleagues and acquaintances, to break bread and share libations with the Valles in their official capacity for the last time, and it made for some very moving moments.

No official ceremony

There was really no official ceremony here, just a few words by the hosts, thanking their guests of honour and those in attendance.

There was indeed a pall of sadness following on Mrs. Valle's thank you, in which she declared that for all the thanks and praises being showered upon herself and her husband, it was her husband and herself who were truly thankful for the warmth, hospitality, and sense of family with which Jamaica, and Jamaicans from all strata welcomed both her and her husband, and latterly her mom, Edith Jarbeau, from her first visit back in 1988.

And in a very moving way, she ended by stating that for all Jamaica had given her, her husband and family over the years, whether it was the joy of being able to motor over to Port Antonio; dinners with friends, a trip to the mountains; or just the joy of being here, the country and its people have given her and her family way, way more than she and her husband were able to give back.

My darling dears, it was a Battenberg hanky moment, and how!

From the ranks of high-society there were: Canadian/Jamaican multimillionaire, the fabulously wealthy Raymond Chang and companion Donnette Chin-Loy; The Most Hon. Glynne Manley; The Hon. Oliver Clarke and wife Monica Ladd and their lovely daughter Alex; Joe Matalon and companion the fabulously elegant Bernadette McKinly-Morin; Insurance icon Hon. Dennis Lalor; regional mogul Las Chin; legal luminary Chris Bovell and his tres elegant wife Michelle Bovell; the elegant Susan Alexander; Robert MacMillan; Jennifer Lim; Anthony and Jeanne Watson; Charley Johnston and Lisa McGreggor-Johnston.

Also in attendance were Paul Hanna; Felicity Crosswell-Brandt; Ian and Cecila Levy; the charming Jennifer Messado; Yvon and Cynthia Desulme; Janet Farrow; Drs. Dhiru and Laura Tanna; Capt. Michael and Anne Marie Feanny; Howard and Linda McIntosh; Anthony and Jeannie Bell; Super Plus' Dr. Robert Chen; NCB's Patrick Hylton; Andrea Bickhoff-Benjamin; Anna Chen; JDF Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Hardly Lewin and wife Capt. Tessa

Lewin; MP Delroy and wife Pat Chuck; Burchell Whiteman; Ambassador Douglas Saunders; Dean of the Diplomatic Corp HE Cedric Harper and wife Dr. Barbara Harper; Head of EU Delegation HE Gerd Jarchow and wife Mara Jarchow; Chinese Ambassador HE Zhao Zhenyu and his wife Madam Wang Xiaoju; Japanese Ambassador HE Hiroshi Sakurai and wife Kinuko Sakurai; South African High Commissioner Advocate Faith D' Radebe; HE Colombian Ambassador HE Dr. Kent Francis; Argentinean Ambassador HE Mario Pino and wife Franny Pino; Brazilian Ambassador HE Cezar De Souza Lima Amaral and wife Lidia; US Embassy DCM Heg and Janet James.

Verandah Gossip

Then, it seems like the verandah crowd, who has for long trumpeted the virtues and electability of Bruce Golding to the nation's premier political job, is now having to take a second look on their man, as it is becoming increasingly clear, that love him as they do, on their verandas, Bruce Golding is a hard sell to the wider electorate.

Well the die has been cast, the image consultants called, a number of commercials filmed, and now the task at hand is to fund their airing across the land, as they are intended to now show, 'a kinder, more caring Bruce Golding.'

Curiously enough, these ads will not be focussing on Golding and or his achievements in the political ring per se, but will be relying on the endorsement of his wife and children to present his softer side.

Oh dear, the more things change, the more they remain the same! Y'all remember when the former Opposition Leader was seen as the albatross around his party's neck; well it seems that pretty little has changed with the change of party leader?

Then meanwhile, it seems the verandah gossip is at it again, having spent years trying to build up Bruce Golding, to the near destruction of the JLP and its political machinery, they are now on a similar tactic with the Portia Simpson-Miller led, PNP with one of the latest crude jokes coming out of that industry being about the 'stewardess flying the 747 with no assistance from the pilot or co-pilot'

Well sweet-things, if any question the resolve of the PNP President, for a smooth and effective flight through these turbulent times, all they need to do is to take a look at how effectively the would-be powerbroker and Cabinet hungry Dr. Blythe was dealt with!

Honeys, not only is the lady in charge, but she is quietly streamlining her plans for effective and honest governance, to take the country and people to the next level, so wait for it! And already working in her favour, is the fact that she needs no image make-over to make her more appealing to the electorate, so let the campaigning begin, or did it?