Dear Editor,

After it was announced that Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson was leaving his diplomatic post in USA to assume another position, I thought of Lisa Hanna as a great choice for replacement.

The former two-term People’s National Party Member of Parliament who also served as minister of youth and culture is well rounded and experienced in diplomacy, having worked in the media as a host of the youth TV show Rappin and later as Miss World at the age of 18.

Hanna also served as Opposition spokesperson on foreign affairs and trade for several years and left politics a year ago. She has consistently expressed a profound love for country and as a newspaper columnist shared ideas about economic development, trade, and growth.

She mingles with ‘kings’ and ‘queens’ as easily as she blends in with the street vendor and locals in cities and rural areas. Hanna is also very articulate and one of the most sought-after guest speakers for local and overseas events.

Ambassadors appointed to diplomatic roles represent the country and act as the official liaisons. They provide advice, counsel, and and are involved in negotiations and arbitration when necessary. The role is non-partisan and most diplomats don’t wear political affiliation on their sleeves.

Hanna has an amicable relationship with members on both sides of the House and would be an excellent choice, regardless of which party is in government. I think she is savvy enough to balance business, family, and personal interests with any official role she may assume.

According to CareerExplorer, people chosen to serve as diplomatic ambassadors usually have distinct personalities: “They tend to be artistic individuals, which means they are creative, intuitive, sensitive, articulate, and expressive. Some are also enterprising, meaning they’re adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic.”

Hanna checks all the right boxes, and I hope this is a role she would seriously consider. It would also signal maturity if politics and nepotism were not the main factors in the appointment.

P Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com