Strong relationship between Barbados, USA

THE United States of America Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean Linda Taglialatela recognises that the relationship between Barbados and the US remains strong.

Speaking at the Embassy’s celebrations for the 241st anniversary of the independence of the United States of America on Wednesday evening, Ambassador Taglialatela said that much like “Route 66 unifies the diverse cultures and geography of the United States, centuries of strong ties and cooperation unify our countries”.

The Ambassador noted that continued collaborative efforts will be vital as the two nations work together to ensure future security and prosperity.

She alluded to her government’s recently released new multi-year Caribbean strategy that establishes a framework for enhancing the security and prosperity of the Caribbean, and for bolstering US relations with the governments and people of the Caribbean.

She pointed out that economically the US continues to work with Barbados to stimulate trade, promote economic development, and foster entrepreneurship.

“We are already working closely with the US Mission to the OAS to support micro and small business creation to drive innovation, job creation, and economic diversification.

“We are connecting young entrepreneurs in the region through the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative to exchange ideas, support one another, and grow not only their businesses,” she said.

Ambassador Taglialatela also indicated that through the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative and the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas, the US has been promoting the use of diverse, low-cost, renewable and reliable energy to spur economic development and create new markets.

She said the US Embassy also strives to expand student and professional exchanges in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, and also supports literacy development for early learners and educational collaboration between US and Caribbean scholars through scholarship programmes.

“To further motivate students to study STEM subjects, we screened the film “Hidden Figures” for secondary school students. In conjunction with the Barbados Olympic Association we hosted a Sports Day in St James.
“Next month we send a group of young students from Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean to Vermont to participate in the State Department’s Youth Ambassadors programme,” she noted.

However, the Ambassador stated that it is not all about the young people. She said the Embassy sponsored the UNESCO Jazz Day Concert to highlight jazz, a genre which is enjoyed by all.

Numerous professionalization workshops and seminars on topics as varied as crime journalism, combating financial fraud, and NGO management were also held.

“We also continue our cooperative efforts to support public health goals in the region. That means combating infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and Zika, as well as helping to strengthen emergency response capacity ad critical infrastructure resilience to natural hazards.

“Security, prosperity, energy education and health-these collaborative efforts bind together our relationships in the United States, Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, as much as Route 66 bound together the many US states it passed through,” the Ambassador said. (AH)