Kingston College graduate Nick Perry has officially become the new United States Ambassador to Jamaica.

The Jamaica-born New York assemblyman was confirmed by voice vote in the US Senate yesterday (March 10).

He takes up office after a lengthy process that began when the Senate received his nomination on November 17 last year and it was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

The Committee held a hearing on his nomination on February 9 and reported “favourably” on his candidacy on March 8.

During the committee hearing last month, Perry, in his trademark West Indian accent, portrayed himself as the product of two worlds: raised in Jamaica but also a proud son of Brooklyn.

The 71-year-old Perry told the Committee: “I believe my experience and perspective, complemented by my background as an American who was born and raised in Jamaica, could contribute positively to strengthening our partnership with Jamaica.”

Perry advised the committee that he came to Brooklyn in 1971 as a teenager, joined the military and graduated from Brooklyn College before starting his public service as a chair of his local community board before winning an election for the first of 15 terms in the Assembly in 1992.

Perry plans to expand security ties with Jamaica

He told the committee at the time that, along with bolstering the historically close ties between Jamaica and the US, he would expand security ties, particularly in countering illegal drug trafficking.

He also vowed to help protect the safety of American citizens living in Jamaica, which has a reputation for isolated gang violence and tourists visiting the island.

From 2015-2018, he was the Chairman of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus and he also served as Chairman of the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, Inc. from 2012-2015.

Earlier, Perry served five consecutive terms on the Brooklyn Borough Board before being elected to the State Assembly in 1992. 

He earned his B.A. from Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York. He was named the Legislator of the Year by the National Black Caucus of State Legislators in 2018 and has been recognised with honours from the New York Civil Liberties Union and the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators among others.

Perry will now fill the vacancy left by Donald Tapia, who demitted office as Biden stepped into the US presidency in January 2021.