Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Honours Long-Serving Employees
By: , September 8, 2017The Key Point:
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (centre) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator, the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith (4th left), share a photo opportunity with long-serving employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, who were honoured at a ceremony held on Wednesday (September 6) at the Ministry’s offices on Dominica Drive, New Kingston. From left are Undersecretary, Multilateral Affairs Division, Ambassador Sheila Sealy Monteith; Senior Secretary, Prudence Hamil; Undersecretary, Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division, Ambasssador Sharon Saunders; Undersecretary, Foreign Trade Division, Marcia Thomas; Director, Caribbean and Americas Department, Angella Comfort; Librarian, Andrea Noble; Assistant Director, Protocol Department, Sharon Burrell Green, and Protocol Officer, Cecile Christie.The Facts
- Those recognised are Undersecretary, Multilateral Affairs Division, Ambassador Sheila Sealy Monteith; Senior Secretary, Prudence Hamil; Undersecretary, Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division, Ambassador Sharon Saunders; Undersecretary, Foreign Trade Division, Marcia Thomas; Director, Caribbean and Americas Department, Angella Comfort; Librarian, Andrea Noble; Assistant Director, Protocol Department, Sharon Burrell Green, and Protocol Officer, Cecile Christie.
The Full Story
Eight employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade have been honoured for service ranging from 30 to 38 years.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, handed out certificates of appreciation during a ceremony held on Wednesday (September 6) at the Ministry’s headquarters at 21 Dominica Drive, New Kingston.
Those recognised are Undersecretary, Multilateral Affairs Division, Ambassador Sheila Sealy Monteith; Senior Secretary, Prudence Hamil; Undersecretary, Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division, Ambassador Sharon Saunders; Undersecretary, Foreign Trade Division, Marcia Thomas; Director, Caribbean and Americas Department, Angella Comfort; Librarian, Andrea Noble; Assistant Director, Protocol Department, Sharon Burrell Green, and Protocol Officer, Cecile Christie.
The appreciation ceremony formed part of the Ministry’s 55th anniversary celebrations, which got under way on September 4 with the launch of a two-week-long exhibition and two commemorative publications.
The Prime Minister joined Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith and the honourees in cutting a cake to celebrate 55 years of the Ministry’s existence.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister commended the Ministry for more than five decades of service to Jamaica.
“The Ministry continues to maintain very high standards and I would consider it one of the flagship ministries. The pool of talent that exists here certainly does do Jamaica justice and represents us well on the international stage,” he noted.
“Minister, you have my compliments and public commendation,” he added.
The afternoon’s proceedings included musical interludes from the Ministry chorale and video-recorded anniversary messages from the overseas missions.
Earlier, the Prime Minister toured the exhibition, which highlighted the entity’s achievements since 1962.
It features publications, photographs, and videos showcasing Jamaica’s diplomatic relations with the international community over 55 years.
Visitors will be able to tour the various departments and learn about their work, the role of the overseas missions, and about the bilateral partners.
In the visitor’s book the Prime Minister hailed the display as an “enlightening presentation of the history and functions of the MFAT”.