British High Commissioner to Jamaica Asif Ahmad is on his way back home.

After four years in Jamaica, where he has been arguably the most publicly active high commissioner in recent history, Ahmad has completed his assignment and returns to England.

In a Twitter post this morning, the British diplomat said: “Moving from our home in Jamaica to our new home in Britain. Thank you for a wonderful 4 years. Fortunate that so many friendships will continue.”

VACCINE DONATION

Among his accomplishments in Jamaica, Ahmad will most recently be remembered for his role in assisting the island in receiving 300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from the United Kingdom at the end of July.

The donation was able to assist the country in jumpstarting its vaccination programme which, before then, had only been receiving doses in limited numbers.

Earlier last month, in reflecting on his time in the island, Ahmad had said he was most disappointed to have not been able to to help Jamaica reduce its murder rate.

He advised however that there was a need for greater consensus across the political divide in tackling crime. In citing an example to follow, he pointed to the buy-in – from the grassroots level to the highest office – that allowed Jamaica to pull itself out of its arrangement with the International Monetary Fund.

Today on Twitter, Emina Tudakovic, Canada’s high commissioner to Jamaica, responded to Ahmad, saying: “Safe travels! Leave knowing that you left an impact here and ties that will bring you back here always.”