BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, FEBRUARY 28TH 2011 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ new Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Mrs. Jacinth Henry-Martin has presented her credentials to President of the United States, the Hon. Barack Obama.
She told President Obama she looks forward with keen anticipation to deepening the bonds of collaboration, friendship and solidarity between St. Kitts and Nevis and the United States.
In accepting her credentials, President Obama said he looks forward to working closely with her to advance “our common agenda and deepen the strong and abiding friendship of our two counties.”
Ambassador Henry-Martin, who was accompanied by her husband, Michael and their three sons, Von Michael, Yanik and Quinn brought cordial and fraternal greetings from His Excellency the Governor General, Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, the Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sam Condor, and from 45,000 proud citizens of the Federation of Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts) and Nevis.
“Our indelible ties to the United States of America were stamped into history when a son of the soil of one of our sister islands, the island of Nevis, emerged as one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. We are deeply honoured to have contributed so remarkable a personality as Alexander Hamilton, the first United States Secretary of the Treasury, a great American statesman and philosopher,” said the St. Kitts and Nevis diplomat.
She told President Obama of the “shared commitment to the democratic principles which bolster the freedoms we enjoy and our cooperation on matters of national, regional and hemispheric import continue to build upon and to strengthen this historic bond.”
“The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis continues to benefit from the proceeds of bilateral and multilateral agreements with the United States of America which are of significance to our economic sustainability, and from accords such as the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative which strenuously work in defense of our national and regional security. Mr. President, on behalf of my country, I commend and salute your tremendous support for this initiative which guaranteed the successful outcome that we so heartily applaud,” said the Federation’s first female ambassador to the United States.
Mrs. Henry-Martin said she embrace the honour and significance of her role and looks forward with keen anticipation to deepening the bonds of collaboration, friendship and solidarity.
“My country’s commitment to the realisation of hemispheric and Millennium Development Goals remains steadfast. As we move energetically in this direction, we are buoyed by the opportunities of educational advancement in which our people liberally participate in the United States of America, and for the cooperation extended by your country in other areas of human and social development. Please accept, Mr. President, expressions of every good wish for the continued cooperation and goodwill which exist between our countries, even as we assure you and your distinguished family of our highest consideration and esteem,” said Ambassador Henry-Martin.
“It is with great pleasure that I accept your Letter of Credence, which establishes you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of St. Kitts and Nevis, and I acknowledge receipt the Federation of Saint Kitts and the Letter of Recall of your predecessor, Ambassador Izben Cordinal Williams, who was exceptional in representing St. Kitts and Nevis in the United States. I extend a warm welcome to you and your family, and I look forward to working with you to deepen the already close relations between our countries,” said President Obama.
He said St. Kitts and Nevis and the United States share 27 years of mutual support and cooperation, a friendship based on common democratic values and the desire to promote prosperity and security throughout the region.
“In cooperation with our hemispheric neighbours, we strive to strengthen meaningful democracy, protect human rights, establish the rule of law and expand the benefits of free market prosperity,” President Obama said at the ceremony.
He noted that with the May 27th 2010 launch of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, the safety of the United States and St. Kitts and Nevis is deeply intertwined.
“Along with other partners in the region, we pledged to work together to reduce illicit trafficking, advance public safety and security, and promote social justice by addressing the important issues of crime prevention, justice sector reform, increased educational opportunities for at risk youth and anti-corruption efforts,” said the U.S. President.
President Obama also applauded the upcoming closer economic union of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) of which St. Kitts and Nevis is a part.
“We applaud the region’s efforts to increase its effectiveness by combining the efforts of the individual states into a cohesive whole. Madam Ambassador, I look forward to working closely with you to advance our common agenda and deepen the strong and abiding friendship of our countries. It is a pleasure to welcome you to Washington,” said President Obama.
