WASHINGTON, DC – Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency the Hon Audrey P. Marks, O.J., has ended her tour of duty. The Ambassador had assumed her second tour as Jamaica’s top diplomat to Washington DC on September 12 2016.
On Wednesday, March 12th, Ambassador Marks announced her upcoming exit during a special meeting with the staff. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her team, emphasizing how their unwavering support made her role more manageable. While reflecting on her experiences, she also acknowledged the exceptional resilience, kindness, and commitment of the Jamaican Diaspora, with whom she had the honor of collaborating on numerous projects.
The Ambassador shared that she was leaving at a time when “the relationship between the United States and Jamaica remains strong where both countries have enjoyed a long history of mutually beneficial cooperation grounded in our geographic proximity, our historical and cultural ties, as well as our shared respect for the rule of law and human rights, and the large Jamaican Diaspora in the United States.”
Prime Minister Andrew Holness
In reacting her Ambassador Mark’s demission of office, Prime Minister the Most Honourable Andrew Holness commended Ambassador Marks for her outstanding service to Jamaica: “On behalf of the government, I wish express to you my gratitude for representing and promoting Jamaica’s interests at the highest level as Jamaica’s diplomatic representative in Washington over the past eight years. Through your sterling leadership, several bilateral cooperation initiatives, including security cooperation, technical cooperation, trade and investment initiatives have been undertaken to strengthen Jamaica’s relationship with the United States of America.
Ambassador to the United States Exemplary Foreign Service
Kamina Johnson Smith Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
This was followed by commendations from Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign and Foreign Trade who stated “Jamaica thanks you for your exemplary service as Ambassador of Jamaica to the United States. Through your efforts Jamaica’s relationship with the United States continues to grow from strength to strength. I wish to especially commend you for the passion with which you have been able to drive the varied initiatives that have and will continue to impact positively the lives of our young people including through support for scholarships, cooperation and exchange programmes between universities at home and in the United States. Please accept our warm wishes for your continued success in the future.”
Ambassador Marks created history twice, first when she was appointed Jamaica’s 10th Ambassador to the United States as the first and only female to hold the position and again, as the only person ever to be appointed to the position three times under two different administrations. She was first appointed in 2010, serving for two years until 2012 and again in 2016, a position she currently holds. In addition, she served as Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS).
An entrepreneur by profession, Ambassador Marks founded and led several companies in Jamaica including Paymaster Jamaica Limited, an internet based online bill payment system that she pioneered when in 1997 when the internet was just becoming commercial.
Awards & Acknowledgements
In 2024, the Government awarded the Ambassador the Order of Jamaica in recognition of her entrepreneurial efforts and exceptional contributions to the nation. This honor highlights her dedication to economic growth, support for social development initiatives, and overall nation-building efforts for Jamaica. She is also the recipient of numerous other awards and citations from various organizations that recognized her for outstanding work in entrepreneurial endeavors and community service.
