OLIVIER Guyonvarch was the envy of his friends in France when he told them that his next posting would be in Jamaica.

Now, nine months into his tenure as the top French diplomat in the island, Guyonvarch fully understands the reason for their envy, and he is enjoying all aspects of his life in the island.

“Jamaica is a very influential country in the Caribbean. In terms of soft power, Jamaica has huge soft power in the world. You may not realise that yourself when you are in Jamaica but I can tell you that everyone in the world likes Jamaica. If you said to anyone, ‘I’m going to Jamaica,’ everybody knows Jamaica.

“They might not know other countries in the Caribbean but everybody knows Jamaica, thanks, of course, to reggae, Bob Marley — and France is the second country in the world for reggae — and thanks to Usain Bolt and your track and field champions,” Guyonvarch told the Jamaica Observer in his first full-length media interview since being posted in Kingston.

The career diplomat, who was posted in China before moving to Jamaica, has already found several things to love in the island, including the food.

According to Guyonvarch, his favourite Jamaican meal is ackee, but without the salt fish, just ackee and vegetables.

Jerk pork and jerk chicken are also among Guyonvarch’s favourites but there is a simple delight at his St Andrew home.

“We have a mango tree here in the garden and to me it is kind of a dream to wake in the morning to pick a mango and have it for my breakfast, because in France mangoes are very expensive,” said the ambassador with a smile.

Guyonvarch told the Observer that he has already visited several sections of Jamaica and is in love with the beauty of the island and the resilience of its people.

“I have been to Montego Bay…I visited Negril…I have been to Treasure Beach. I love hiking in the mountains during the weekends and I am also into sea kayak, but so far I kayak only in the port…but I would like to bring my kayak to the north coast.

“I love Port Antonio, it is a real beautiful area which, to me, has huge potential in terms of sustainable tourism, not the big all-inclusive resorts like you have in Montego Bay, but for small-scale tourism which would benefit the local population,” added Guyonvarch as he declared that Jamaica’s many assets include its people.

“What I like in Jamaica is that the French are supposed to be elegant but I think the Jamaican people are even more elegant.

“You see a guy in the street in a T-shirt, short pants and a pair of sneakers but he is still elegant. It is the way people behave, the way people walk, the way people talk, Jamaicans are really elegant and also a very resilient people. I admire that,” said Guyonvarch as he argued that this is something that the French could learn from Jamaicans.

“The French are always complaining but in Jamaica people don’t complain that much. Even if life is difficult Jamaicans enjoy the happy moments each day.”

Guyonvarch pointed out that crime is a major problem facing Jamaica and warned that it is tarnishing the reputation of the island, but he noted that there has not been a case where any French visitor has been affected by the violence.

The ambassador said he has concluded that the violence in Jamaica is limited to some areas and is mainly gang-related or domestic.

“I have been travelling all over Jamaica and I have never felt myself in danger because I don’t go to places where I should not go and I can tell you now there are places in Paris, there are some places in Lyon, there are places in Marseille where if you don’t live there you don’t go. Even the police are afraid to go there. So this kind of problem that you have here in Jamaica we have the same in France, the difference is that we have a bigger population,” said the ambassador.