After much delay, Dominican Navy vessel docks in time for cocktails
Published:Monday | July 10, 2023 | 10:21 PMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter -
For each major project Angie Martinez, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Jamaica, has undertaken since her stint began in the island, she has found herself with unnecessary roadblocks.
However, the determined diplomat has never given up because of her focus on the plans she has to share with Jamaica, and is always steadfast in her approach to solving issues to make the bond between the island and the Dominican Republic stronger.
Before the start of the 2022-2023 academic year last September, Martinez adopted the Franklin Town Primary School for her first major project, with one reason being that the schools’ colours were the exact colours of the colours in the flag of the Dominican Republic, which she identifies well with.
With this connection, she and her team committed to repainting the school in the blue, red and white colours for the start of the school year with a significant mural which a professional was paid to do, but, back then, he failed to complete it 24 hours before the start of the first day of school.
In an effort to not have the students disappointed on the first day of school, Martinez rallied with her team to work during the night before the opening of the first day of school and completed the mural themselves. It was not an easy task and they had to use lights from their cars pointed on the wall for clear visibility to paint during the wee hours of the night.
Now, 10 months later, her plan to bring the Dominican Navy training ship, Juan Bautista Cambiaso, to Jamaica for the first time on Sunday failed to materialise because of mechanical issues and other challenges, even after it reached the shores of the island. However, she pulled all the strings to at least get the ship to dock at Port Royal by 7:00 p.m., just in time for a planned cocktail party with government officials, other diplomats and members of the Dominican Republic’s diaspora in Jamaica, to show them the partnership her country has fostered through the training ship, and how open the Navy is to working with others in developing new multicultural training possibilities.
As fate would have it, after more than 36 hours of Jamaicans and Dominicans battling to steer the ship to shore, it was eventually pulled to dock at the Port Authority of Jamaica’s Port Royal dockyard and arrived at exactly 7:00 p.m. to get the cocktail party started.
The docking was made possible with the help of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and other Jamaican sailors.
After the docking, a relieved Martinez told The Gleaner that it took her months to convince the relevant authorities to send the ship for a two-day visit.
“I am extremely excited about the arrival of the Dominican Navy Training Ship Juan Bautista Cambiaso to the shores of Jamaica. This historic visit holds great significance as it symbolises the strengthening of ties of friendship and cooperation between our two nations,” Matinez told The Gleaner.
“I believe that Jamaicans should absolutely seize the opportunity to visit for several reasons: Firstly, the visit of the Juan Bautista Cambiaso offers an exciting cultural exchange. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the vessel, learn about its rich history, and gain insights into the Dominican Navy. Furthermore, they will experience the vibrant Dominican culture, including our music, such as ritmo, merengue, and bachata, and gain firsthand experience of our warm hospitality,” Martinez said.
"Visitors will also have the chance to interact with the crew, fostering connections and promoting a deeper understanding between our nations.
“By engaging with the vessel and its crew, Jamaicans can explore potential avenues for collaboration and partnership, leading to mutual benefits for both our countries. The visit of the ship serves as a platform for bilateral cooperation in various fields, such as the exchange of best practices and experiences in maritime security and technology."
Given the technical difficulties, the Jamaican authorities will assess the ship before it leaves the shores of the island for two other stops in Panama and then Colombia.
During that assessment time on Tuesday, Martinez is encouraging families to tour the ship while it overstays its planned time.
“I encourage all Jamaicans to visit the ship, as it promises to be an enriching and memorable experience,” she said.
Earlier, however, many families who went to the dockyard with the hope of touring the ship on Sunday afternoon and all day Monday, as advertised, were left disappointed.
They had seen the flyers being circulated and a press release shared about the anticipated arrival of the ship on Sunday, free tours and a whole cocktail party planned for Monday evening, but left disappointed at sunset on Monday afternoon.
“My children were excited to see the Juan Bautista Cambiaso, but it hasn’t docked as yet and we have to leave," one mother told The Gleaner. "Everything happens for a reason and maybe tomorrow is a better day and we can come back again for the tour.”