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Protocol Regarding Their Excellencies Attending External Functions
Upon Their Excellencies (TE) accepting an invitation to attend any external function the organizers must coordinate attendance activities with the Governor General‟s Aide-De-Camp (ADC) and note the following responsibilities and codes of conduct: 1. When Their Excellencies arrive at the designated venue they are to be met by the chief host and/or coordinator of the event. The chief host is to ensure that Their Excellencies reception line is in place no less than five (5) minutes prior to their arrival. We ask that reception lines consist of no more than five (5) persons, except in particular circumstances that shall be outlined to and approved by the Governor General‟s ADC. The Governor General‟s ADC will introduce the key officials to Their Excellencies. When being hosted at an establishment such as a hotel, the General Manager or his designate is also to be present. Additionally, the Custos Rotulorum of the parish is to be present for the Governor General‟s arrival and may be present if Lady is attending by herself. It is therefore crucial that the Custos be invited to the event as well. 2. Upon meeting Their Excellencies the person in charge of the reception line will escort Their Excellencies into the venue. 3. Before arrival at the precise location of the event, a moderator/Master of Ceremonies is to announce the entrance of Their Excellencies. It is very important that this is done just before Their Excellencies enter the room. The appropriate announcement as required should read as follows: a. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand for the arrival of Their Excellencies The Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica and The Most Honourable Lady Allen.” b. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand for the arrival of His Excellency The Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica.” c. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand for the arrival of Her Excellency The Most Honourable Lady Allen.” 4. Once everyone is standing Their Excellencies will then enter the room. They will be escorted to their seats by the chief host after which the national anthem will be played or sung depending on the nature of the function. This will be communicated by the Governor General‟s ADC prior to the function.
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5. THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IS NOT TO BE PLAYED WHEN THEIR EXCELLENCIES ARE AT THE DOOR OR ARE ENTERING THE ROOM. INSTEAD, THE ANTHEM SHALL BE PLAYED AFTER THEIR EXCELLENCIES HAVE BEEN ESCORTED TO THEIR SEATS AND ARE STANDING AT THEIR SEATS. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS PROTOCOL WILL RESULT IN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THEIR EXCELLENCIES, IN THAT THEY WILL BE FORCED TO STOP WALKING DURING THE PLAYING OF THE ANTHEM. 6. If and when the national anthem is to be played, it will be played strictly with instrumentals with no vocals. In such instances, only one verse is played. On occasions when the anthem is sung, both verses are to be sung. The Governor General‟s ADC will provide guidance on such matters. 7. Profiles of Their Excellencies are not to be read at any function, as it is not acceptable protocol to read profiles on Heads of States or Prime Ministers. Instead, it is appropriate enough to simply announce Their Excellencies in the following manner: “I now invite His Excellency The Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen the Governor General of Jamaica to address us”. It is not required that post-nominals be read, but when doing so it is more acceptable to read them in full as opposed to simply calling letters which may not be understood by the listener. Therefore, the introduction of His Excellency, including post nominals shall read as follows: a. His Excellency The Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, Member of the Order of the Nation, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Micheal and St. George, Commander of the Order of Distinction, Governor General of Jamaica. 8. In the event that Their Excellencies have been invited to a function where a meal will be served, kindly contact the ADC for the dietary requirements. 9. Kindly remind all photographers that photographs of Their Excellencies are not to be taken when eating. 10. If the organisers intend to have Their Excellencies make presentations, this must be cleared with the ADC ahead of time. Additionally, kindly advise the ADC prior to the start of the function if and when there is a pin or badge of endorsement that Their Excellencies are being asked to wear.
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11. When Lady Allen is attending a function by herself, she will be announced upon her arrival and all shall stand in acknowledgment of her entry. However, the National Anthem will not be played. 12. At the end of each function the moderator is to ask everyone present to stand in place for the departure of the official party. However, the ADC will provide guidance on this, as Their Excellencies may wish to tarry afterwards for greetings or depart immediately based on other factors.
ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH SERVICES 13. The Governor-General and his spouse will arrive at the door of the church five (5) minutes before the commencement of the service. It is customary that he/she/they be greeted by members of the Clergy or some other suitable church official. The party proceeds to the front right-hand pew (as walking down the aisle to the pulpit) in the following order: The Governor-Generalâ€&#x;s ADC and church official. Their Excellencies. 14. The ADC will indicate the entrance of the pew designated for Their Excellencies. The Governor-Generalâ€&#x;s spouse shall enter first, then the Governor-General, with the ADC sitting immediately behind the Governor-General. The congregation shall be asked to stand when the Governor-General enters, and should also stand after the service until the official party has withdrawn in the same order as entering. The Clergy or church officials should be at the door to bid Their Excellencies farewell.
a.
Attendance at Church Services (Uniformed Groups) When the Governor-General is at a service hosted by a uniformed group and is scheduled to take a salute at a March Past after the service, an invitation to be present at the service is also to be extended by the Minister of the Church.
b.
Attendance at Church Services (Weddings) The Governor-General and his spouse, attended by the ADC, shall be met at the church door five (5) minutes before the hour of the ceremony (and just before the entrance of the brideâ€&#x;s mother, who enters last) by a Church Usher, and are escorted down the aisle to the first right-hand pew in the following order:
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ADC & Usher Governor-General and Governor-General‟s spouse Guests should rise when the Governor-General enters the Church and will stand as his party departs, as they follow immediately after the bridal party, escorted by members of the clergy and just before the parents of the new couple and other guests. If they attend the reception, the Governor-General and his spouse are to be received first and will enter just before the bridal party. On arrival at the reception, the Governor-General and his spouse shall be met by an usher who will escort them to their table. They customarily leave after the toast to the bride. The Governor-General does not propose a toast, except under very special circumstances.
c.
Attendance at Church Services (Funerals) The Governor-General occupies the front right-hand pew and is attended by the ADC. The immediate family members would normally be seated in the front pew on the left. The Governor-General will arrive five (5) minutes before the commencement of the service. This will facilitate him being met by a member of the clergy and also for a few moments to greet the family. If the casket is carried out at the end of the service, the members of the family of the deceased should follow immediately after the casket. The GovernorGeneral‟s party will then depart, escorted by a member of the clergy. The Governor-General will not normally attend the burial. The Governor-General does not act as an honorary pall bearer at a funeral. Attendance at funerals of relatives or friends of great intimacy is a personal matter, but proper arrangements for seating will be arranged by the ADC with a member of the family.
d.
Representation of the Governor-General at Funerals A Custos may be asked to represent the Governor-General at funerals. When this is done, the procedure remains the same.
ADDRESSING THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL 15. The Governor-General and spouse shall be addressed as „Your Excellency’ or „Your Excellencies’ when being spoken to directly.
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When either person is being spoken about outside of their presence or in the third person, they should be referred to as ‘His Excellency’ or „Her Excellency’ respectively or ‘Their Excellencies’ when both are being referred to.
The style of address is: Very Formal His (Your) Excellency the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Linton Allen, Member of the Order of the Nation, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Member of the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander, Governor-General. Formal His (Your) Excellency the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica. His (Your) Excellency The Governor-General. Semi-Formal and Verbal (The) Governor-General Informal and Verbal (For senior colleagues and personal friends) Sir Patrick Excellency The address in correspondence shall appear as: His Excellency the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, ON, GCMG, CD Governor-General King’s House Kingston 10 Jamaica Other than at the start of a sentence, the prefix „the‟ is shows with a capital „T‟ only before „Governor-General‟. His Excellency, in accordance with standard international procedure omits the prefix ‘Dr.‟ ADDRESSING THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S WIFE 16.
The style of address for the wife of the Governor-General is: Formal
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Her (Your) Excellency the Most Honourable Lady Allen.
Semi-Formal and Verbal Lady Allen (not Lady Patricia Allen). In writing to the Governor-General and his spouse, the correct form is: Their Excellencies the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, ON, GCMG, CD, GovernorGeneral of Jamaica and the Most Honourable Lady Allen. TIME KEEPING 17. The Governor-General always arranges to arrive at a function on time. The established protocol is that all persons attending a function, at which the GovernorGeneral is to be in attendance, are expected to arrive before and to be in place at least ten (10) minutes before his arrival. Failure to do so without a reasonably good excuse is regarded as a sign of disrespect to the Office of the Governor-General and ultimately the people of Jamaica, whom he represents. 18. Whenever a Custos is representing His Excellency, they will be announced upon arrival and all will stand in acknowledgement of their entry. However, they will arrive shortly before the start of the function. If the function is one in which the National Anthem is to be played, it will be played after the Custos has been escorted to his/her seat and been seated. Once the anthem is about to be played, the Custos will stand with the audience as it is about to start.
September 2011