Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds, welcomed the new resident Ambassador of Colombia to Barbados, Elizabeth Taylor Jay, the first resident envoy since the closure of the Colombian Embassy in Bridgetown in 2002.

Speaking to Ms. Taylor Jay during a courtesy call at the Ministry’s Culloden Road, St. Michael offices, Mr. Symmonds noted that while the relationship between the two countries was cordial, it had been limited over the years. 

He said Barbados is keen to deepen its South-South relationship with Latin American countries, and Colombia is regarded as one of the countries where enhanced bilateral cooperation could contribute to regional stability and growth and create opportunities that benefit both nations and their citizens.

 “This is really important for us because since 2002, we have not had a resident ambassador here, and a lot has happened globally since that time. And Colombia, as Barbados views it, could be a very important partner for us, perhaps made even more so by recent geopolitical events.

In addition to that, we are also very concerned about the fact that for us, Barbados, the only countries with which we really enjoy a favourable balance of trade are those of the Eastern Caribbean.

“So, when their economies start to slide or slip, then our economy is negatively affected. That being the case, it is very important for us then to try to look to capitalise on opportunities, diversify trade, diversify business supply chains, and to give our consumers options. And I think … there’s an opportunity now for us to grasp some low-hanging fruit, to identify specific areas of collaboration,” Minister Symmonds stated.

Ambassador Taylor Jay expressed sincere gratitude to the Government of Barbados for allowing Colombia to re-establish a diplomatic mission on the island.

She noted that the re-establishment of a resident embassy in Barbados underscores Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties and exploring opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

“This is a very exciting moment for us, especially because President Petro has definitely raised the ambition of the country to turn to the Caribbean and Africa to ensure that we can have a better integration with these two regions. It’s key for us to really work on Caribbean integration and using also Barbados as a very important partner for that, as we recognise the leadership that you have in … CARICOM now.

“At this important moment that we’re living globally now, I think it would be a very important reason for us to start to engage on another level, and for Colombia to be a very strong partner,” Ambassador Taylor Jay said.

The two officials also discussed possible cooperation in commercial trade, tourism, air and maritime transport, education, culture, health, sports, language, and biodiversity.

Present at the courtesy call were Senior Foreign Service Officer, Dr. Ricardo Kellman; Foreign Service Officer, Warren Howard; and intern at the Ministry, Oshondy Phillip. Barbados and Colombia established diplomatic relations on February 1, 1972. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds, presents a welcome gift to Colombia’s new Ambassador to Barbados, Elizabeth Taylor Jay, during their courtesy call

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds, has expressed his appreciation to staff based in Barbados and the 18 missions abroad, during the Ministry’s second Staff Appreciation Dinner and Awards Ceremony, held last Saturday.

Under the theme “Nostalgia”, the ceremony was held at the Radisson Aquatica Resort, Aquatic Gap, St. Michael, where the Minister told staff how “indispensable and invaluable” their service was to the Ministry and the country.

Addressing in-person and online attendees, Mr. Symmonds said he felt a “sense of pride” to be their Minister, and their dedication and exceptional service have helped the ministry to achieve its mandate and Barbados’ international relations and development.

“We are celebrating what I genuinely believe to be the most indispensable team of people in the Government of Barbados…. I’m very proud of you, and I wish all of you the very best as you go forward. And awardees, you have served long; you have toiled in the vineyards.

“There are some of you who are not only getting it as a result of long service, but later on, there are some awardees who will be given awards on the basis of some other criteria, but to all of you, congratulations.  And to the rest of you, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of a grateful nation, I want to say that you have done this country proud,” he stated.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also shared that the Ministry is in ongoing negotiations for better External Service Orders to address challenges like the cost of living and family support, and would continue to provide in-house training to build the capacity and confidence of its young core of Foreign Service Officers. 

He added that the Ministry would be working to ensure a balance between career civil servants and non-career ambassadors to provide equitable opportunities for professional growth.

Permanent Secretary Joy-Ann Skinner also praised the staff and stressed that taking care of their mental and physical health was important to achieving the Ministry’s goals.

“You are doing an excellent job, whether you hear that every day or not, you are delivering and keeping Barbados moving forward and delivering beyond our expected ability…. The world has become even more unpredictable and a space where it has proven to be requiring a whole lot more of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a whole lot more of our Government as a whole.

“I don’t want you to think that that means you have to work harder.…  It means that you have to take care of your health and your strength. In order to be able to put the mask on for your child in the plane, you have to put yours on first, so, in order to deliver for the country, you need to take care of your health.… Your health and well-being are paramount,” Ms. Skinner stressed.

Senior Foreign Service Officer, Tyrone Brathwaite, was presented with the Minister’s Award, while staff of the National Implementation Unit for UNCTAD 15 and the Global Supply Chain Forum, led by National Coordinator, Carlos Wharton, received the Permanent Secretary’s Award.   

Chargé d’affaires at the Panama Mission, Sandra Gittens, received the Director General’s Award. The Director of Trade’s Award went to Economist I, Keisha Goddard, and the Ambassador to CARICOM’s Award was given to staff who served in the Caribbean Affairs and CARICOM Division for the last two years. 

Awards were also given for 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service, and to retired persons, as well as in the categories of ‘Above and Beyond’, and ‘Positive Attitude’. (PR/GIS)

Demolition work on the National Stadium at Waterford, St. Michael, is scheduled to commence on April 15, according to Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith.

The announcement was made during a press briefing at the facility on Tuesday, April 1.

Mr. Griffith acknowledged the delays in the project’s timeline but emphasised that the process is now fully under way.

“Yes, we took a while in getting here, but today is the start of the process and you will actually see the demolition taking place,” he said. “I want persons to know it’s been long in coming, but the Chinese are actually on island.”

He further noted that 25 work permits had already been granted, with an additional 15 submitted to accommodate the team involved in the construction phase.

Expressing pride in the project’s progress, the Minister described it as his “gold medal”, stating: “We thought it would be a sprint, but it has turned out to be a 1500-metre race. It doesn’t get much better than this.”

In addition to the stadium redevelopment, Mr. Griffith revealed that Parliament had approved an extra 50 million dollars for the National Sports Council. Some of this funding will be used to construct two new 400-metre tracks – one in the east and another in the north of the island – as part of efforts to bolster Barbados’ sports infrastructure.

“What we are looking to do is to buttress what’s happening here at the National Stadium,” he explained. “We have asked the National Sports Council to start the process in the first quarter of the financial year.”

He added that the Government is committed to ensuring athletes are properly prepared and have access to adequate facilities.

China’s Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Liang Jie, also addressed the media, emphasising that the National Stadium Project highlights the strong bilateral relationship between Barbados and China.

He noted that nearly two years of technical work had led to the finalisation of the design and mobilisation of the general contractor, adding: “I am fairly pleased that through this joint effort, we can witness the realisation of a magnificent, high-standard, high-cost, totally new National Stadium.”

The new stadium will be developed in two phases. Phase One will feature 10,000 seats and is expected to take between 26 and 29 months to complete. Phase Two will add another 10,000 seats, bringing the total capacity to 20,000. 

The original National Stadium, which was opened in October 1970, has in recent years fallen into a state of disrepair. The Government has deemed the facility outdated and unsuitable, and has moved forward with plans to construct a modern replacement that meets the needs of Barbadian athletes and the wider community. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith and China’s Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Liang Jie, shake hands to signal the start of the National Stadium Project, following a press briefing at Waterford, on Tuesday