PRESIDENT JOINS SECRETARIAT STAFF IN PAYING RESPECTS TO COLLEAGUE

His Excellency, the President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo was a welcome surprise guest at a ceremony on Wednesday morning at which members of staff of the CARICOM Secretariat remembered their colleague, Ms Silvana Jordan.

The President gave his personal reminiscences of his friend Silvana Jordan with whom he had attended Patrice Lumumba Friendship University in Moscow, Russia 16 years ago.

Speaking during an emotionally charged ceremony at the Secretariat's Bank of Guyana headquarters, President Jagdeo recalled the small but closely knit Caribbean student community at the university and their efforts at protecting and supporting each other. He disclosed that as recently as within the last two weeks, he and Ms Jordan had got together one evening during which they had an extended discussion on their times in Moscow and her plans for herself and her children's future.

Ms Jordan, 36, a Surinamese national, died on Monday night on the East Coast Demerara Road following a vehicular accident. She was a Senior Project Officer in the Communications Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat.

CARICOM Secretary-General Mr Edwin Carrington, in his remembrance reminded the gathering that Ms Jordan was the first Surinamese staff member at the Secretariat, following that country's accession to the Caribbean Community and Common Market in 1995. He said he had first met Ms. Jordan during the panel discussion launching the Public Education Programme of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy in Barbados in 1995 when she was one of four participating journalists.

He praised her determination and youthful drive and energy, and singled out her contribution to the CARICOM Perspective as one legacy of her work at the Secretariat. The Secretary-General said her contribution was representative of what her country could provide to the Community.

Deputy Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett lamented the fact the her death robbed her of fulfilling her promise and highlighted her commitment to her extended family

Other speakers included the Director of Information and Communication, Mrs Lorna Clarke-Williams, the Programme Manager Communications, Ms Jackie Wiltshire-Forde and Senior Communications Assistant, Mr Ovid Edwards.

Ms Jordan, a former news director at Suriname's ATV television station, joined the Secretariat in June 1996. She leaves to mourn two daughters Carmen, 11 and Stephany, 2 years and nine months.