The new Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the Organization of American States (OAS), Stephen Vasciannie, on July 18 presented his credentials to the OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza.
During the ceremony, Vasciannie presented greetings from Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, as well as from Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade A.J. Nicholson.
“We have been very much appreciative of the leadership and guidance you have given to the Organization of American States over the years,” the new Jamaican diplomat said. “And I look forward to working with you and the members of your secretariat.”
In welcoming Vasciannie, Insulza noted that Jamaica will soon celebrate 50 years of independence.
“It was the first nation of the English-speaking Caribbean to join the OAS,” he said. “And we see our relations with your country as very important to the work of the organization.”
Insulza referred to the legal background of the Jamaican diplomat, who until recently served as Principal at the Norman Manley Law School (University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica).
“We are faced today with some very interesting legal problems, we have been talking about them with the ambassador,” he said.
“Some of the political situations that are happening in our region have a very strong legal content, and, certainly, your experience in that area will be very important,” Insulza added.
Present at the ceremony, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, D.C., were the OAS Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Albert Ramdin; OAS Secretary for Integral Development, Jorge Saggiante; the Permanent Observer to the OAS from Spain; and representatives from Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela.
