US State Department ceremony for new Malta Ambassador a ‘rocking’ affair

According to the Washington Post, the ornate Benjamin Franklin Room on the State Department's eighth floor was,  "rocking" according to an attendee to the ceremony, during which Gina Abercombie-Winstanley was sworn in as the US new ambassador to Malta.

The paper said that the event featured unusual entertainment, with the Washington Performing Arts Society's Men and Women of the Gospel choir performed traditional gospel tunes that had even a few of the most buttoned-up guests tapping their toes.

Abercrombie-Winstanley, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, is a member of the choir - "though we imagine she won't be performing with them too often anymore, given the grueling commute," the paper said.

Her predecessor, Douglas Kmiec, drew controversy in the posting - an inspector general's report faulted him for spending too much time on faith-based activities.

Kmiec is in Malta at the moment and will be a guest speaker tomorrow at President George Abela's opening of the President's Forum, which will open the debate on Constitutional Reform.