OFFICIAL FUNERAL FOR HON KEITH JOHNSON, OJ

  October 8, 2009

OFFICIAL FUNERAL FOR

FORMER AMBASSADOR HON. KEITH JOHNSON, OJ

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has instructed that former Ambassador, the Honourable Keith Johnson OJ, be accorded an official funeral.

The body of the former senior diplomat will be flown home for the funeral service at the St Andrew Parish Church in Half Way Tree on Thursday, October 15 at 10:00 a.m. Interment follows immediately at Dovecot.

A condolence book for Honourable Keith Johnson will be open at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade from Monday, October 12 - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 and also at the Church on the morning of the funeral. The Jamaica Constabulary Force will perform ceremonial duties.

Former Ambassador Johnson served Jamaica for more than 50 years in the diplomatic service and later was an international consultant in the areas of human rights, social justice and environmental justice. He was the island's second Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He also represented Jamaica as Ambassador to Germany, and non-resident Ambassador to the Netherlands and the Vatican. He was the Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS).

Former Ambassador Johnson also served as High Commissioner to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Hon. Keith Johnson has received honours from the Republic of Liberia, Germany and Luxembourg for the high standard of his services in the field of international relations.