The new ambassadors to the Dominican Republic from Colombia, the United States, Bahamas, Portugal and Belgium are now officially in place. President Danilo Medina received their letters of accreditation yesterday, Monday 9 December and spoke briefly to Roberto Garcia Marquez from Colombia, James Walter Brewster from the United States, Godfrey Gordon Rolle from the Bahamas, Joao Jose Gomes Caetano Da Silva from Portugal, and Godelieve Van Den Bergh from Belgium at the Presidential Palace. Vice President Margarita Cedeno and acting Minister of Foreign Relations Jose Manuel Trullols also attended the ceremony, which began at 11am and ended at 12:30 noon, the Presidency reported.
An online search shows the background of the ambassadors to be as follows:
Colombia: Roberto Garcia Marquez
Ambassador Garcia Marquez has been an admiral in the Colombian Navy since 2011. He is a graduate in naval sciences and naval engineering with specialty in electronic engineering. He is a specialist in security and national defense from the Colombia War School. Prior to his appointment he served as commander in chief of the Colombian Navy. Before that, he served as commander of the Colombian Navy force in the Caribbean from 2006 to 2009 and was the naval attache for the government of Colombia at the Colombian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
United States: James Walter (Wally) Brewster
This is ambassador James Walter (Wally) Brewster’s first US government position. Ambassador Brewster recently served as senior managing partner of SB&K Global, an international consulting firm focused on assisting global brands and executives in the areas of positioning and branding. Prior to SB&K Global, Ambassador Brewster served as senior vice president of marketing and communication for General Growth Properties, taking it to be the second largest shopping mall real estate investment trust in the United States. During his 15-year tenure at the company, he led multiple acquisitions and rebranding of the company’s assets around the globe. During his final years as senior vice president, General Growth bought The Rouse Company, in 2004. It was the largest retail real estate merger in American history, and GGP grew to be the nation’s second-largest shopping mall operator.
A native of Lindale, Texas, Ambassador Brewster received his education in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing at Tyler Junior College and Texas A&M University.
From 2010-2012, Brewster was a co-chair for President Obama’s re-election campaign and a member of the campaign’s “Leadership Circle.” He also served as a co-chair of LGBT issues for the Democratic National Committee and is on the Board of Human Rights Campaign.
Bahamas: Godfrey Gordon Rolle
Bahamas has sent an anti-drugs specialist to be its ambassador in the Dominican Republic. Appointed as the first Director of National Anti-Drug Secretariat of the Bahamas in February 2008, Captain Rolle is a 34-year veteran of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force who has also served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Head of The Drugs Crime and Maritime Affairs Section. He has travelled extensively and has participated as lead representative of The Bahamas in numerous meetings, workshops and seminars hosted by International Organizations (CICAD, CND, CARICOM, UN) tasked with the responsibility of finding solutions to the global problem of drug production, trafficking, use and abuse. Over the course of his career, Capt. Rolle served with the United Nations Peace Keeping Force In Haiti, and as Charge d’Affaires of The Embassy of The Bahamas in Haiti. He is also the current Chair of The Bahamas Committee for the Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries. He is concurrent to the Republic of Haiti.
He joined The Royal Bahamas Defence Force in 1978. He was appointed Charge d’ Affaires at The Bahamas Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and served from February 1998 to December 2000. In January 2001, he was made Head of Legal Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was also responsible for coordinating the national drug control efforts of The Bahamas and other anti-drug initiatives.
Rolle served in Haiti as part of the UN CARICOM team that saw the return of President Aristide to Haiti, in addition to serving at the Embassy in Haiti.
He is a graduate in Communications (minor in Economy) from the University of Miami.
Portugal: Joao Jose Gomes Caetano Da Silva
Joao Jose Gomes Caetano Da Silva is a former ambassador of Portugal in Mexico and the Philippines. A lawyer, he has been a career diplomat since 1980.
Belgium: Godelieve Van den Bergh
A career diplomat since 1980, the new ambassador for Belgium, Godelieve Van den Bergh was appointed ambassador to Jamaica in July 2012.
Ambassador Van den Bergh commenced her career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgium in 1980. She has represented her country with many international postings to Europe, North America, South America and South East Asia. She has served as the Belgian ambassador in Costa Rica and Brazil, and general consul in Hong Kong and Montreal. She has also been on the staff at embassies at the UN in Geneva, and in Mexico and Strasbourg.
She holds a Masters degree in Law from the Catholic University, Leuven (KUL).
http://presidencia.gob.do/comunicados/presidente-danilo-medina-recibe-cartas-credenciales-de-cinco-nuevos-embajadores
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