JAMAICA’S Prime Minister P J Patterson was yesterday the toast of Caribbean Community leaders at the opening session of the 17th Inter-Sessional Meeting at the Trinidad Hilton.

Tonight, the 71-year-old iconic personality in Caricom politics would also be the guest of honour at a dinner/cultural event at the official residence of President Maxwell Richards, organised as a “Jamaican Farewell”.

Caricom leaders, heads of delegations, leading officials of the region, as well as top representatives of the business and other sectors of the Trinidad and Tobago society, are expected to be in attendance for this unique farewell to the Jamaican politician who, like Prime Minister Patrick Manning, was at the inauguration of the Community at Chaguaramas in July 1973.

The dinner/cultural event, expected to last for about three hours, will be followed by a visit of all official guests to ‘Exodus’ panyard in Tunapuna, an estimated 15-minute drive with police outriders from President House in the capital, Port-of-Spain.

The occasion will be a musical treat on the instrument for which Trinidad and Tobago is world renown – the steelpan.

Addressing yesterday’s opening session as host and chairman of Caricom’s Inter-Sessional Meeting, which concludes late this afternoon, Prime Minister Manning hailed the contributions of Patterson to the region’s economic integration, even before succeeding the late Michael Manley in 1992 as Jamaica’s prime minister.

“This is indeed a sad time. One of the very significant drivers of our development is about to leave the regional stage after more than 30 years in the service of the Caribbean. the venerable P J Patterson…,” said Manning.

Manning said he felt “privileged to be among the fortunate few who would, for the last time around the Caricom head table, experience first hand, his (Patterson’s) love and commitment for our Caribbean people, as demonstrated in every contribution he makes and every decision he supports.” This Manning said was always done “with either the benevolent sternness, wit or wisdom with which he is generously endowed. Fare thee well, PJ”.

The prime minister of St Lucia, Kenny Anthony, the immediate past chairman of Caricom, was to follow with shared warm sentiments, declaring that:

“This Inter-Sessional Meeting will sadly be tempered by the imminent departure from our midst of our beloved P J Patterson. I will personally miss his calming presence at our meetings; his thoughtful and analytical mind; his capacity to focus on the incisive issues; his friendship and his sincerity”.

He added: “No Caribbean leader since the ‘founding fathers’ has participated in, and presided over Caricom with the sagacity of Percival Patterson…”

For the Community’s Secretary General Edwin Carrington, in Patterson’s departure “we will be losing the contribution of its longest serving head of government, and a veritable Caribbean titan”.

An election to replace Patterson as president of his ruling People’s National Party will be held on February 25, and his is expected to resign as prime minister next month.