Jamaican Community in Washington Bids Farewell to Ambassador Mullings

Leaders from Jamaican community organizations in the Washington D.C. area, as well as locally-based philanthropic groups involved in projects in the island, joined last Thursday (February 12) in bidding farewell to Jamaica’s outgoing Ambassador to the United States, Seymour Mullings.
The event was organized by Washington’s largest and most influential Jamaican organization, the Jamaica Nationals Association (JNA), and hosted by its President, Jacqueline Payne. This was the last of a series of events organized by the diplomatic and Jamaican communities in Washington to honour Ambassador Mullings for his many years of public service.
On Tuesday (February 9), Ambassador Luigi Einaudi, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), as well as other members of the diplomatic and international financial community, joined several U.S. government officials, representatives from the United States Congress, as well as members of other local Caribbean community organizations in recognizing Ambassador Mullings’ tenure as Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the OAS.
In addition, the CARICOM Ambassadors Caucus hosted a private luncheon on Mr. Mullings’ behalf, marking his final formal interaction with his fellow colleague Ambassadors from the region.
Thursday’s function was also attended by representatives of local Caribbean and Jamaican businesses, as well as other commercial interests, such as Air Jamaica. Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, K.D. Knight, who arrived in Washington that day for an emergency meeting on Friday with U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, was also in attendance.
Miss Payne, who spoke on behalf of the JNA, congratulated Ambassador Mullings, for his “strong sense of commitment to the overseas Jamaican community” and thanked him for his “unwavering support of the JNA and our on-going attempt to deepen our relationship with Jamaicans at home, in the service of our country and in the interest of the social and economic upliftment of Jamaicans in general”.
The JNA President also noted that despite the Ambassador’s focus on fulfilling his bilateral obligations, he still found time to meet with both members and the leadership of the Jamaican community, to attend meetings and other discussion fora sponsored