Barbados to enhance ties with Northern Caribbean

By Sheena Forde-Craigg

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (BGIS) — Barbados has always had good relations with CARICOM member states, but most recently, it has sought to enhance ties with both the southern and the northern Caribbean states, namely Belize and Jamaica.

Barbados’ non-resident ambassador to the Association of Caribbean States and CARICOM, David Comissiong, disclosed this Wednesday, as he outlined his role in deepening Barbados’ Northern Caribbean relations during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Culloden Road, St Michael.

Ambassador Comissiong, clarified that in his “multifaceted” role he represents Barbados in areas pertaining to the Caribbean Community, the Secretariat in Guyana and Barbados, CARICOM institutions and associated institutions. As such, he is assigned to perform the function of Barbados’ non-resident High Commissioner to all CARICOM countries except Montserrat and Haiti.

Since taking up the post of Ambassador back in August 2018, he has only presented his letter of credence to Heads of State in St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, and most recently, Belize; making him Barbados’ High Commissioner to those countries.

Until he has presented his letter of credence to the other CARICOM countries, he is referred to as High Commissioner-designate. In his role in strengthening ties with Belize and Jamaica, he reported that he visited Jamaica last month, where he met with the minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, Olivia Grange, and discussed the possibility of cooperating and developing bilateral and joint agreements.

With regards to his Belize trip last week, where he presented his letter of credence to Belize’s Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam, the ambassador met with prime minister John Briceño; minister of foreign affairs, foreign trade and immigration, Eamon Courtenay; other government ministers, including those with responsibility for tourism and education; students at the University of Belize; reparation leaders and the head of The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Dr Colin Young. He also donated Barbadian books to the National Public Library of Belize on behalf of the government.

According to him, coming out of those meetings plans are underway to create a joint agreement which will cover a multiplicity of areas including agriculture, the blue economy, investment, renewable energy, trade and the teaching of Spanish.

“Belize is a very important CARICOM country. It is the only CARICOM country that is located in Central America, so it is our Caribbean bridge or gateway to Central America; and I think that there are many, many benefits for Barbados and for the rest of CARICOM in deepening its relationship with Belize,” Comissiong stated.

He pointed out that in his report to the government on his trip he has recommended air lift talks, reciprocal cultural and secondary student exchanges, joint tourism ventures, training for Belizean hospitality students in Barbados and a technical and vocational education training programme.

Ambassador Comissiong concluded his report by stating that: “Barbados is looking at bilateral relations with all of our CARICOM brothers and sisters and in the weeks and months to come, Barbadians are going to hear a lot more about very specific and concrete initiatives that will be rolled out to take forward these bilateral cooperation programmes.”