Tapia picks ‘Man a Yaad’ as his top Jamaican personality
Published:Wednesday | December 30, 2020 | 12:18 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Outgoing United States Ambassador Donald Ray Tapia has identified Audley ‘Man a Yaad’ Shaw as the most likeable Jamaican he has met in his year and half tour of duty.
Tapia told The Gleaner that Shaw would come out tops if he had to choose as the politician’s friendship and natural ability to endear himself to others has impressed him.
“He is probably one of the nicest people I have met. He’s a person’s person,” Tapia said in an interview yesterday. “He is probably the best of what Jamaica has to offer. He’s definitely a people person and I visited with him last week to say goodbye.”
Tapia will depart Jamaica next Tuesday, January 8, while the effective date of his resignation is January 12 – his birthday.
“I have given myself a great birthday gift,” he quipped.
US political protocol
Tapia, who took up the post of ambassador in September of 2019, will, as per US political protocol, resign the post to clear the way for the incoming President Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated on January 20, to name an appointee.
Tapia said that he enjoyed his time on the island as Washington’s top diplomat, adding that he will always remember the warmth of Jamaicans.
“I have said this from day one and I have gone to all 14 parishes. I have actually stopped the car. You know, I have an armoured car, and I have details with me, but like we are going down to Negril and there’s a little township and there are stores (shops) there, I would tell my details to stop,” Tapia explained.
“I would get out of the car and the people are like this,” Tapia said, his expression suggesting the people were utterly surprised by the presence of the ambassador.
“So I would get out of the car and go talk to them. I would go over to the little stores and they are standing out at the front and I have some funny pictures of me and the people. It’s a good picture when you stop and talk with the people and, of course, one of the first things they would bring up is ‘Can you get me a visa?’,” he said, bursting into another round of laughter.
Expressing his love for the country, Tapia said that he feels as if he has become a Jamaican himself.
Tapia was confirmed in the ambassadorial post in the US Senate by a vote of 66-26.
Prior to his arrival, Jamaica was without a top US diplomat since the departure of Luis Moreno in July 2017.