Deputy Premier Paula Cox was among those present to witness the inauguration of the first African-American President of the United States yesterday.

Ms Cox queued for two hours in the freezing cold to see history unfold, while her husband Germain Nkeuleu, watched the events on television in his native Cameroon.

As the images of history were beamed around the world to millions, her husband was suddenly amazed to see his wife's face among them. Ms Cox herself said she was "stunned" to find she had been featured in the television news coverage. After the ceremony she was bombarded with e-mails from friends telling her they had seen her on TV.

"My husband's though, was the e-mail I was most tickled by," said Ms Cox. "He said he was watching the Inauguration in his country, Cameroon, and jumped up when he saw me.

"He said he was so very surprised and pleased to see his wife. He told me he found it amazing."

Ms Cox said: "He has been steadfast in his belief from the beginning that Barack Obama would be elected as the President so it was regrettable that he could not have also have been here."

Although she attended for personal reasons, the Finance Minister was the Island's political representative at the inauguration. Premier Ewart Brown was also in the US capital but – along with other heads of state – was advised not to be present at the actual ceremony as a safety precaution.

Ms Cox said even during the lengthy waits in the cold in Washington D.C., people were buoyed by a "sense of optimism" and unity.

"At today's ceremony, and even in the long lines as we queued to gain access, despite it being bitterly cold and a long wait, everyone was so happy," she said.

"They were not impatient, they felt good and they were very celebratory. I felt privileged and proud to have been in attendance."

Ms Cox said she waited two hours for the gates to open, but said: "The inconveniences regarding the waits and the cold were considered relatively minor – we were there for a nation-changing event and none of us wanted to miss it. People were glad they had the chance to participate.

"After the President's speech, the bonhomie continued. Strangers who did not feel like strangers, came up and hugged me and kissed me and said: 'What a day!'.

"The sense of elation and optimism was palpable. Even prior to the start of the programme, when a procession of cars passed – people got so excited and started to take pictures, and there was murmuring as persons spied the President and First Lady, or the children and their grandmother, and the Bidens."

Ms Cox said the anticipation of a sight of the new President was such that even a sighting of Grammy Award-winning rapper, producer, actor and entrepreneur Sean 'Diddy' Combs was an anti-climax.

"Earlier there was some excitement when a limousine stopped and the passenger alighted," she said. "At that time the crowds seemed to think it may have been a member of President Obama's family, and it was interesting to see the reaction of disappointment when they saw it was an entertainer and not the President. I believe it was said to be 'Puff Daddy' Sean Combs."

Ms Cox, who was attending the Congressional Black Caucus Inaugural Ball last night, said: "The love, respect and admiration for President Obama and his family transcends all barriers – race, age, gender, ethnicity. People generally and genuinely love him and what he represents.

"It was an exciting moment in time – tremendous expectations for the new President and his new administration. It will not be smooth sailing despite the significant political capital that he comes into office with, and his high polls. He is the repository for the people's hopes and dreams for a new day, and he also symbolised the Changing of the Guard.

"We savoured and enjoyed it, but as the President said, now the work begins."