In a formal swearing-in ceremony held at Government House on Monday, seasoned legal professional and former public official Joanne Massiah took office as Antigua and Barbuda’s newly appointed Ambassador-at-Large, vowing to uphold the nation’s interests with unwavering integrity, patriotic commitment and exceptional performance ahead of her debut diplomatic mission.
Administered by Governor General’s Deputy Sir Clare Roberts, Massiah completed the required constitutional oaths — including the Oath of Allegiance, Oath of Office, and Oath of Secrecy — before receiving her official instrument of appointment. Speaking immediately after the ceremony, the veteran public servant framed her new role as a rare privilege to advance national development amid an era of intensifying global uncertainty.
“I am just incredibly humbled, thankful, and appreciative of this opportunity to continue to play a very meaningful role in nation building as we seek to reposition Antigua on the global stage and assist the government to navigate the deeply challenging global times we face today,” Massiah shared in her remarks.
A qualified attorney-at-law with prior experience serving as a government minister and opposition senator, Massiah accepted the appointment with humility, extending gratitude to every group and individual that has supported her decades-long career in public life. She offered special thanks to God, her parents, immediate family, friends, professional colleagues, and the broader public of Antigua and Barbuda for their sustained encouragement through all her personal and professional endeavors.
As an Ambassador-at-Large, Massiah joins a specialized cohort of diplomatic representatives that the Antigua and Barbuda government can deploy for special assignments, and to represent the nation at high-level regional and international engagements. Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene confirmed during Monday’s ceremony that Massiah’s first official posting will be as a member of Antigua and Barbuda’s delegation to upcoming joint meetings of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) hosted in Panama.
For Massiah, representing Antigua and Barbuda on regional and global diplomatic platforms is not uncharted territory. The newly sworn-in ambassador noted that she is already well-versed in international diplomatic protocol, and plans to quickly get up to speed on the meeting agenda and priority policy issues to make thorough preparations. “It will just be a matter of me revving up myself, dusting off my boots, and getting fully up to speed on the key topics this meeting will address,” she explained.
Massiah expressed full confidence in her capacity to deliver on the responsibilities of her new role, setting a high bar for her performance in office. She guaranteed the Antigua and Barbuda public that excellence will be the minimum standard she upholds throughout her tenure. “I can promise the people of Antigua and Barbuda that they can expect nothing but excellence from me, which is my minimum standard,” she said.
She further pledged to advance the nation’s interests with steadfast professionalism and dedication, while remaining anchored to the core values that have defined her public service career. “I will represent the nation and its people with integrity, with honor, with responsibility, with a lot of verve, a lot of gusto, and with all the patriotism that fills me,” Massiah stated.
Monday’s ceremony also saw the swearing-in of Samantha Marshall as a second Ambassador-at-Large, with senior government officials, resident diplomats, family members, and political supporters in attendance. Both appointments were made under Section 101 of Antigua and Barbuda’s constitution, and form a core component of the nation’s broader strategy to expand and strengthen its global diplomatic engagement.