The Consulate General of Jamaica in New York invited me to the Welcome Reception for Consul General Roderick Oliver Mair, Jamaica’s twelfth Consul General to New York.
It was a remarkably teeming affair—full of pomp, circumstance, energy, and, fittingly, the aura of the man being welcomed.
A man of the people.
Whether you are a “Risto,” “Risto-Rebel,” or “Rebel”—terms borrowed from Xavier Murphy of Jamaicans.com—CG Mair seems equally at home.
What do I mean?
At a previous event, Chief Community Officer Chris Benjamin, MBA, quoted a member of the Jamaican diaspora:
“The late Consul General Alsion Roach Wilson was a star, but Consul General Oliver Mair is a rock star.”
There is certainly an argument to be made.
The late CG Alsion Roach Wilson, OD, was extraordinarily talented in her own right—a spectacular fundraiser, among many other things. I am admittedly biased because of our friendship. Alas, the last time I saw her was at an NYU event she invited me to in the spring of last year. A few months later, she succumbed to cancer.
But I digress.
Back to the Welcome Reception.
The event was exceptionally well attended, with diplomats and representatives from Curaçao, the Netherlands, Greece, Colombia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Trinidad and Tobago.
There were also representatives from the City University of New York (CUNY), the Office of the Jamaican Prime Minister (including his sister), the Office of the Mayor of Boston, the Office of the Mayor of New York, the U.S. Congress, the New York State Assembly, and the New York State Senate.
In attendance were dignitaries, professionals, entrepreneurs, academics, executives, businesspeople, and celebrities—including Patricia “Miss Pat” Chin, the matriarch of VP Records and widely regarded as the godmother of reggae.
And speaking of celebrities…
To borrow from Wild Cherry:
They were dancin’ and singin’ and movin’ to the groovin’
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted…
The CG is dancing, singing and moving to the riddim!
Yes, the CG actually sang.
He has a theatre background in addition to his business background, and it showed.
Joining him in the songfest was the iconic and legendary Nadine “Action (not a Bag-a-Mouth)” Sutherland, OD. Later, Ms. Sutherland and I reminisced about our mutual late friend, M. Joy Magnus, and her former classmate.
An exceptional live band and singer backed the songfest. At one point, I was speaking to a colleague on the phone, and she thought I was at a live concert.
And it wasn’t only music.
There were poems, too.
Eat, drink, and be merry!
The Jamaican cuisine was top-notch, and the beverages were on another level. One attendee remarked to me that it was the first time he had seen wining and dining at this level at the Jamaican Consulate.
As a Keto dieter and intermittent faster, I did not avail myself of everything on the cornucopia the servers kept bringing throughout the evening, nor did I partake of the alcoholic beverages at the bar.
But I certainly feasted my eyes.
Chicken and beef patties. Puddings. Cakes. Other meat dishes. And more.
I did allow myself the jerked and chili wings.
Beyond the wining and dining, I particularly enjoyed the networking opportunities. The reception brought together an impressive cross-section of Jamaica’s diplomatic, political, academic, business, cultural, and professional communities.
It was a great evening.
But I would be remiss if I did not end where I began—with the late Consul General Alsion Roach Wilson, OD.
Rest in Peace, Alsion.
She was a friend and, contrary to the quoted member of the diaspora, arguably not merely a star—but a superstar.
I submit that CG Roderick Oliver Mair, standing on the shoulders of giants, will continue and elevate her contribution.
Yes, as a rock star.
He assumes the role of Jamaica’s twelfth Consul General to New York with responsibility for Jamaica’s nationals and interests across thirty-three states in the United States, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico.
That is a formidable mandate.
And judging from the energy, warmth, inclusiveness, cultural pride, and sheer exuberance of his Welcome Reception, CG Mair appears ready to rock.
Nadine Simone Theresa Sutherland, OD – the Illustrious Jamaican Reggae Singer and Dancehall Artist – “Action (not a Bag-a-mouth).”
Flashback Pic (My Pre-Keto Era): RIP, CG Alsion Roach Wilson, OD
