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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie speaks at the Official Opening Ceremony of the 9th UK Caribbean Forum, at Grand Lucayan resort, Freeport, Grand Bahama. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)
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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- Prime Minister of The Bahamas, and Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie said that developing stronger and better relations between the United Kingdom and the Caribbean calls for a deeper re-engagement and commitment.
"Our very existence as a people demands that we not have a 'business as usual' approach," Prime Minister Christie said during the Official Opening Ceremony of the 9th UK Caribbean Forum, April 29, 2016, at the Grand Lucayan resort, Freeport, Grand Bahama. "Our historic ties should lead to developing even stronger collaboration and partnership in all sectors -- our economies and industries -- tourism, financial services, health and education, social development, national security."
Among the platform guests at the opening were Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom the Rt. Hon. Philip Hammond, Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) His Excellency Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration the Hon. Fred Mitchell, and Bahamas High Commissioner to CARICOM His Excellency Picewell Forbes.
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie (right) speaks to Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) His Excellency Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (left), at the Official Opening Ceremony of the 9th UK Caribbean Forum, at Grand Lucayan resort, Freeport, Grand Bahama, as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom the Rt. Hon. Philip Hammond (second left) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration the Hon. Fred Mitchell look on. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)
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Among the dignitaries and Member States representatives in attendance were Minister of Tourism the Hon. Obie Wilchcombe, Minister for Grand Bahama the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration the Hon. Cleola Hamilton, Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition Peter Turnquest, and Senator Tanisha Tynes.
Prime Minister Christie added that innovate ways must be found to exchange new ideas and seek new opportunities for co-operation in the areas he mentioned earlier, and in other "critical areas such as crime prevention and immigration, as well as in science and technology, agriculture and manufacturing.
"We realize that the key to sustainable growth and development lies with the intellectual potential of the youth and future generations," Prime Minister Christie said.
"Therefore, it is our responsibility to seek ways to build a stronger partnership with those agencies responsible for higher learning to enable us to provide better opportunities for our young people through decent work, through scholarships, through student exchange programmes, and technical support for the advancement of tertiary level education in the Caribbean," he added.
Prime Minister Christie also took the opportunity to publicly thank the British for their effort as first responders when the persons in the southern Bahamian island of Crooked Island suffered from the "distress" of Hurricane Joaquin late last year.
"The Royal Navy did a magnificent job," he said. "I saw it, went there to observe it. We are thankful for how quickly you responded."
Prime Minister Christie extended best wishes to the British Prime Minister, as well as publicly congratulated Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her 90th birthday.
"Queen Elizabeth is an excellent example of devotion to duty," Prime Minister Christie said.
"God bless the United Kingdom, The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and our wider Caribbean region."
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie addresses the Official Opening Ceremony of the 9th UK Caribbean Forum, at Grand Lucayan resort, Freeport, Grand Bahama. (BIS Photo/Eric Rose)
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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