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Goodbye is never easy

Published:Friday | December 3, 2010 | 12:00 AM
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Departing Brazilian Ambassador Alexandre Gueiros (right) and wife Gladys (second right) show off the commemorative plaque they received from Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda at their farewell reception. Looking on is Dr Ken Baugh, minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
Departing Brazilian Ambassador Alexandre Gueiros (second right) and wife Gladys (centre) show off their farewell present. Looking on are (from left) Dr Ken Baugh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda and Argentine Ambassador Mario Pino. - photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Deborah Oyedele (left) and Dr Nafissatou Diagne, Senegal's Ambassador to Jamaica, are looking quite resplendent at the farewell reception.
Chief of Protocol Ricardo Allicock (left) is caught in serious conversation with Colombian Ambassador Dr Ventura Emilio Diaz Mejia.
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Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

You'd think they would be used to it by now, but somehow, saying goodbye just never gets any easier.

The latest diplomatic duo to bid farewell are Brazilian Ambassador Alexandre Gueiros and wife Gladys. Ambassador Gueiros will be taking up responsibilities in the Netherlands. Fellow South American, Argentine Ambassador Mario Pino hosted the farewell reception on Tuesday for the soft-spoken Brazilians. There were plenty of laughs despite the sad occasion, most of them coming from the host.

But Ambassador Gueiros had a few as he joked that he would miss learning Russian from his ambassadorial colleague of that country, and that one of his daughters so loved Jamaica, she begged him to try and obtain a five-year stint. But in more sombre tones, he reiterated his love for the island and its people. He thanked Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Dr Ken Baugh for helping him to carry out his duties and helping to further solidify the already strong relations with his homeland.

Guests out included St Kitts High Commissioner Cedric Harper, Cuban Ambassador Yuri Gala Lopez and wife Yaima, Chilean Ambassador Alfredo Garcia, Dominican Republic Ambassador Jose German, French Ambassador Marc-Olivier Gendry, Russian Ambassador Victor Zotin, Haitian Chargé d'affaires Max Alce, Ricardo Allicock, Ambassador Maxine Roberts and sister Valerie and Drs Dhiru and Laura Tanna.