|
Barbados' Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dame Billie Miller (holding plaque) with Members of the United States Congressional Black Caucus at meeting in St. THomas last year. |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 31ST 2006 - Barbados may soon appoint an Honorary Consul in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
That country's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dame Billie Miller in addressing a workshop for consuls in the Caribbean said to her Ministry was also looking to appoint honorary consuls in Belize, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Dominican Republic.
She said it was important for Barbados' honorary consuls to have access to the business world in their jurisdictions, so they can help to promote the island's profile.
It was the first time consuls were together as a group, and also in attendance were ambassadors to Barbados, and members of the diplomatic corps.
"It does not mean that you still do not have that function which is traditional, but there is a new perspective which comes to the work of honorary consuls and it is the job of Government to facilitate this. You must be our extended arm. You have a more direct line to capital," Dame Billie said.
Referring to Cricket World Cup 2007, she said it was the first large undertaking in business.
Since 1994, her ministry has expanded the Barbados network of honorary consuls. There are now ten missions abroad, with three in Europe and others in North America, and the ministry hoped to extend to Latin America.
However, no resident mission in the Caribbean has been established to replace the one which previously functioned in Trinidad and Tobago.
Barbados has 11 honorary consuls in The Bahamas (longest serving from 1982), Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman Islands, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica are the only other Caribbean nations with honorary consuls in St. Kitts and Nevis.