The House of Representatives of the US Congress has paid tribute to the work of Dr Odeen Ishmael, the outgoing Ambassador of Guyana to the United States.
In a statement on the floor of the House on October 21, Democratic Congresswoman Donna Christian-Christiansen congratulated the Guyanese ambassador for his work over the past ten years in promoting US-Caribbean relations, a news release from the Guyana Embassy in Washington DC stated.
In her presentation which has been published in the Congressional Record, the congresswoman thanked Am-bassador Ishmael "for his commitment and dedication, during his tenure here in Washington, not only to issues affecting his home country Guyana but also to the issues and concerns of all of the countries of the Caribbean."
The congresswoman is the representative of the US Virgin Islands and spokesperson on health issues in the Congressional Black Caucus. She is also a leading member of the "Friends of the Caribbean" in the US Congress.
Ambassador Ishmael also received words of farewell from President George Bush with whom he met briefly at the White House on October 28 on the occasion of the annual Iftar dinner hosted by the President for Muslim ambassadors. Ishmael, the ambassador-designate to Venezuela, was also given resounding farewells at functions held in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington during the past six weeks, the release said.