Belmopan. June 24th, 2013. The Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow this week starts an official visit to the United Kingdom. He arrived on Sunday, June 23rd and was welcomed by the representative of the Secretary of State, Rt. Hon William Hague and the High Commissioner for Belize to the United Kingdom.
During his visit The Prime Minister is to be honored by the City of London where he will address a specially invited audience of global financiers and businessmen to discuss Belize trade and investment. Later he will be greeted by the Right Honorable Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Roger Gifford and other City dignitaries to discuss future co-operation between the City of London Corporation and Belize.
On Tuesday, June 25, 2013, the Prime Minister visited the Tate & Lyle/American Sugar
Refinery and meeting with senior officials to seek to coordinate Government of Belize and investor strategy with relation to the sugar industry.
The Prime Minister will also meet with UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague and the
Armed Forces Minister to discuss a variety of important strategic issues concerning Belize.
Later in the week, the Prime Minister will have an Audience with her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness Prince Charles, where they will discuss issues relating to the environment, conservation of Belize’s protected areas, the impact of illegal incursions on Belize-Guatemala Border. He will round off the week with a special fundraising event for the Belize Children’s Trust Foundation hosted by his wife, Kim Simplis-Barrow – over 300 Belizeans and friends will be attending this sold-out prestigious event with entertainment from a variety of Belizean artists performing, including Ivor Novello; award winner Errollynn Wallen, who wrote the music for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Special Olympics; internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Francis Reneau, Julie Felix and Pen Cayetano and the Cayetanos.
Mrs. Kim Simplis-Barrow will be meeting with Cherie Blair, wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, to exchange information on their various charitable foundations. Mrs. Barrow will also be visiting a leading children’s hospital in the UK seeking future linkages for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the KHMH.
Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow Honored at Guildhall Lunch and Witnessed Belizean Sugar being Received at Tate & Lyle Sugar Refinery in London
Belmopan. June 25th, 2013. Prime Minister Dean Barrow today met with the Chairman of the City of London Policy & Resources Committee, Mark Boleat, ahead of the Guildhall lunch where the Prime Minister was honored by addressing an audience of international financiers and businessmen.
Commenting on meeting with the Prime Minister, Mark Boleat said “We are very pleased to invite the Prime Minister of Belize to speak to these important guests at the Guildhall and discuss Belize and its future plans. The City of London, as the world center of finance, welcomes important dialogue with developing countries and we hope the lunch will be fruitful for future investment and trade for the country. The City of London recognizes its role in supporting Belize and other developing countries and we hope to continue useful discussion in the future”.
The Prime Minister was also hosted by the Directors and Senior Management of Tate & Lyle, who gave him a presentation on the future of the global sugar industry before being escorted to the refinery where he watched 13,000 tons of Belize sugar arrive at the factory.
Mac McLachlan, Senior Advisor to Tate & Lyle, commenting on the Prime Minister’s visit said, “We are extremely happy to welcome the Prime Minister and his team here today and delighted he has been able to visit us and discuss with us important proposals for the future. We are also pleased that his timing of the visit could not be better as a boat from Belize arrived this morning to unload Belize sugar.
It’s clear that giant leaps by the entire sugar industry in Belize over the last few years have provide Belize and the sugar industry a strong and secure platform for growth and the future of sugar in Belize. We are delighted to be part of that future with all the stakeholders in Belize.”
