WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Her Excellency Audrey Marks has urged members of the Jamaican Diaspora in the United States, to safeguard Jamaica’s heritage and “continue to build the Jamaican spirit, vision and ethos for our secured future.”
She was addressing members of the Jamaican community and friends of Jamaica in Washington, D.C., at a reception to mark Jamaica’s 55 year of independence at the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters on Sunday.
Ambassador Marks pointed out that “under astute leadership, Jamaica has begun to deliver on the promise so eloquently laid out on 6th August 1962 by carving out its own niche within the pantheon of the world’s marketplace.”
She said this year’s theme, “Celebrating Jamaicans at home and abroad, has reminded that as a people with a noble heritage, we have made considerable achievements, making us arguably “the greatest little country in the world”.
Ambassador Marks reiterated, “despite our challenges, we have much to celebrate. We must be proud of the fact that Jamaicans the world over, continue to rank high in virtually every field of human endeavour: in academic and scientific achievement; in political and economic development; in the cultural arena as well as in sports.
She used the opportunity to congratulate Jamaica’s Legendary Sprinter Usain Bolt for his contribution to Jamaica pointing out that despite the fact that for the first time, just when he was retiring from the sport, he failed to get a gold medal, the manner in which he handled the loss spoke volumes for him as a sportsman, an individual and a Jamaican.
She congratulated the members of the Diaspora for the positive role they have played in the development of the Jamaican nation as well as their adopted country, noting that “the recently concluded Diaspora Conference affirmed yet again that the Jamaican people were “determined to ensure that we find pathways to success.”
The Jamaican Ambassador said she would be working “with members of the Jamaican community here in the USA, to ensure that we continue to build the Jamaican spirit, vision and ethos for our secured future.”
The reception, which was well attended by Jamaicans from all over the United States, featured celebrated songstress Karen Smith who performed a variety of nostalgic Jamaican songs.
The annual independence thanksgiving church service, which took place at the Howard University Dombarton Chapel, preceded the reception.
