Bilingual society crucial

A Cabinet minister is highlighting the importance of Barbados becoming a bilingual society, especially in this globalised era.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Maxine McClean raised the topic while addressing representatives from across the Caribbean, who are in Barbados this week for the Argentine-Caribbean Regional Cooperation Workshop being held at the Accra Beach Resort. She told the gathering that as Barbadians are called upon to engage in an increasingly integrated global society in order to bolster our trade linkages with our partners, it will be imperative that persons can speak more than one language, with Spanish, she explained, being the primary choice. With that in mind, she said concerted efforts are being made to take Barbados in that direction.

“We live in an increasingly globalised world where physical borders are waning in importance [and] real time transactions are occurring without the physical movement of people and money. In view of this reality, I am of the view that it is also critical for us to enhance the language skills of our children and citizens by improving the quality of Spanish training offered in our schools and institutions,” McClean stated.

Meanwhile, turning her attention to the relationship between the Argentine Republic and the countries of the Caribbean, McClean said while each country is at a different stage in their national development, there is still so much they can share with and learn from each other. She made the point while contending that the difference in culture, size and historical experiences, provide our countries with a very interesting basis for cooperation both bilaterally and in the broader multilateral contexts. The Foreign Minister’s comments came as she noted that our countries face very similar global challenges that threaten our efforts to achieve sustained economic growth and development.

In reference to the workshop, Minister McClean said it, along with several initiatives being executed across the region by the Government of Argentina, show that the South American country is actively seeking to reinvigorate relations with CARICOM countries. She bolstered that point while noting that Argentina has in fact expanded its embassy network within the Region. She said that in addition to re-opening of its Embassy in Barbados, the Argentine Government has also re-opened its Embassy in Guyana and established new Missions in St. Lucia and Suriname.

With that in mind, the Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister said she is confident that the discussions held yesterday and today will be “immensely productive and fruitful” and she is keen to see the tangible initiatives which will spring from such discussions. (JRT)