Former Ambassador Pandiani pays visit

ONE of the most well-loved diplomats ever posted in Barbados was back on the rock for just three days this past week, as former Argentine Ambassador Gustavo Martinez Pandiani passed through for the first time since his tenure was truncated back in October of 2020. Pandiani, who was extremely vocal and visible on matters of culture and sports in the region during his time here, was back in Barbados for official business.

Calling it a great honour and opportunity to represent his country as the Director of Caribbean Affairs for the Argentine government, Pandiani told the Barbados Advocate that his visit was for a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Dr. Jerome Walcott on bilateral issues and cooperation projects, but more importantLY to speak on his country's bid as Pro-Tempore President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). “We are planning to postulate Argentina as the next President after Mexico so we are here to explain our project and what we want to achieve. This is an important forum for us because it's the only place where we have all Latin American and all Central American countries without any exclusion. We want to work on issues that are important for Barbados and many other Caribbean countries such as the environment and how we are going to rebuild the economies of our countries after the pandemic,” he said, noting that the body represented an important mechanism that links countries in Latin America and CARICOM.

Proudly wearing his honorary Bajan status, Pandiani said that it feels great to be back home and that after leaving on Sunday he would be heading to St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and The Bahamas. With his new post charging him with overseeing most bilateral relations with OECS and CARICOM, Pandiani said that the move felt natural to him due to bonds previously built during his tenure as Ambassador since his first posting in the region 30 years ago in Jamaica. “I have been around the neighbourhood! I really love not only your countries, but especially your people and I just look forward to continuing contributing to fill the gap between Latin America and the Caribbean. Sometimes I feel like Latin America and the Caribbean is a geographical expression but I want it to be a cultural expression, a political expression and especially a people's expression. For that, we have to know each other a little better, we need to understand our cultures a little better. To know our music, to know our art and that's what I'm planning to do,” he said.

Going on to add that his country recognised the strength of Barbados' leadership as it stood out in the region, Pandiani called Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley one of the most well-respected and well-known Prime Ministers and said that he was looking forward to working closely with her to build the bridge between the countries. He also took the opportunity to congratulate the people of Barbados on the move to becoming a republic. “We are delighted with the decision Barbados has taken on being a republic. We believe that the Barbadian people have the right to determine who their Head of State is and that should be a Barbadian, as you decided. So we celebrate it. We congratulate Barbados for such an accomplishment and we look forward to November so we can send our congratulations once Barbados becomes a republic,” he said.