Saturday November 1, 1997. His majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho was presented a gift of a 7 carat blue brilliant cut diamond set in a heavy yellow gold ring.

The gift was presented to King Letsie III by John Obern Taylor, a diamond dealer and Chief Executive Officer of Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd. The gift was presented to King Letsie III during his second Coronation Ceremony in his village of Matsiengi, the Kingdom of Lesotho.

At the Coronation Ceremony many gifts were presented to the King and many people from all walks of life graced the occasion including H.R.H. Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne. Prince William, President Mandela were other dignitaries present. However, the 7 carat blue brilliant cut diamond set in heavy yellow gold in the form of a ring, a gift from Mr John Obern Taylor and Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd was highly treasured and valued by King Letsie 111/ not only because of the value and because diamonds especially in such a rare colour as blue are generally associated with what they symbolise, but the historical significance and importance of the gift to the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho, King Letsie III by Mr John Obern Taylor of Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd cannot be over emphasised.

Mr John Obern Taylor - Is an African-American, who started exporting rough diamonds from Lesotho in the early 80's. As a symbol of Mr John Obern Taylor's attachment and appreciation of the warmth and nobility which the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho have come to represent in their goodwill and respectful treatment of foreigners (including business people), especially the royal hospitality which has been showered on him since his first day of stepping on the soil of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Mr John Obern Taylor named his firm Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd . Though Mr John Obern Taylor has interests in a good number of firms worldwide and is a director of quite a good number of these corporations, Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd became his trade mark over the years, which leads most of his partners and associates to believe he hails from the Kingdom of Lesotho. Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd remains a boutique type exporting firm (exporters of rough diamonds and engages in mining operations on a medium scale). The firm has been growing from strength to strength and continues to do so. In 1992 Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd became an official broker to the sole rough diamond exporting firm for the government of the Russian Federation. In 1994 Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd opened a representative office in Moscow to provide logistical support to its core business and offices in Arizona, the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa.

Way forward-Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd is preparing itself for the next millennium bearing in mind the overall growth of the firm and its associates. Consequently, the management of the firm have adopted such policies as diversification, structural adjustments and globalisation among others, to remain a forerunner in its core businesses. The achievement of these corporate objectives aimed not only at the betterment of the firm and its associates, but as well to contribute to the general development of the Kingdom of Lesotho(economically and otherwise) and be a worthy Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho in its fields and regions of operation.

As a practical step towards the achievement of these goals, Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd is concluding the following projects: - opening of a diamond cutting factory in the Republic of South Africa.

-concluding a joint venture arrangement for strategic alliance in a large scale mining operation in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Republic of South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) with its technical partners. These mines are expected to be fully operational in the first quarter of 1998.

- The company hopes to go public by the year 1999.

Akinade A.'Kunmi Press Officer for Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd Lesotho Diamond Brokers & Mines (Pty) Ltd, Arizona (U.S.A.)