B’dos, USA ties strong

AS Barbados stands on the threshold of tumultuous change, the country must make a call on its friends in the international community, including the United States of America, not for handouts, but to collaborate and partner with the nation as it continues on the path to sustainable development.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Senator Dr. Jerome Walcott, said the relationship which Barbados shares with the United States of America is not only long-standing, but also a warm and harmonious one, as ties date back to George Washington’s visit to the island over 200 years ago and the Carolinas where the evidence and hallmarks of Barbadian cultural influences can be seen today.

“On January 17, 1652 at ‘Ye Mermaids Inn’ in Oistins, on the south coast of Barbados, the Treaty of Oistins was ratified. This treaty essentially put an end to the squabbling between the political and economic forces in Barbados and Britain.

“It also set out the terms and conditions for the future relationship between the two entities. Of more significance, that Treaty of Oistins contained a clause which would later be enshrined in the American Declaration of Independence,” Senator Walcott said as he delivered remarks at the US Embassy’s Independence Day celebrations, on Thursday evening.

The clause reads that no taxes, customs, imports or excise shall be laid, nor levy made on any of the inhabitants of Barbados without their consent in a General Assembly. Senator Walcott said this was the principle adopted by the 13 American colonies in 1773 when they dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston harbour, in objection to a British imposed tax. He said the concept of ‘No Taxation without Representation’, originating among the planter class in Barbados, clearly influenced the actions of the colonists in those 13 colonies.

“Our ties are therefore long-standing and strong and with future strategic alliances can only grow from strength to strength. Barbados, will as we have in the past, continue to work with the US on areas of mutual concern and interest not only in the bilateral sphere, but also regionally as well as multilaterally. For we believe that it is only with open, respectful and transparent discussion that there can be real and meaningful progress,” he said.

In delivering remarks, United States Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Linda Taglialatela, said through numerous initiatives, from hurricane preparedness to the recent Tradewinds exercise, the US is committed to making Barbados and its neighbours safer and more secure.

The Ambassador highlighted the US efforts to promote economic development through youth empowerment. She said one of the local organisations that she is proud to be affiliated with is the Nature Fun Ranch.

“We helped them purchase equipment for the jockey school, we are sending the director, Corey Lane, to the United States for a month-long professional development programme, and when the young men and women of the US Coast Guard ship Eagle were available for volunteer work, I sent them over to St. Andrew to do some painting, fencing, and trimming. I am over there so often, in fact, that I have two new friends: Charlie the goat and Wilbur the pig. If nothing else, I feel guiltier about enjoying bacon,” she said.

Ambassador Taglialatela also pointed out that the Embassy has been working with the successful “A Ganar” programme, which enabled dropouts or unqualified youth to become employable and positively contribute to society through training opportunities by strengthening partnerships with training institutions and employers to ensure that youth skills aligned with market demand.

“The US supported 350 students in nine schools with technical, vocational and life skills training,” Ambassador Taglialatela said. (AH)