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Contact:
John Emmanuel
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Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony
flanked by Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister Giampaolo Bettamio (Left) &
Italy’s Ambassador Plenipotentiary to St. Lucia Gerardo Carante |
Thursday, May 12, 2005 - St. Lucia and other CARICOM member states are
in line for further benefit from the latest memorandum of understanding signed
this week, between the Italian Government and CARICOM. Italy’s Deputy Foreign
Minister Giampalo Bettamino affixed his signature to the agreement along with
CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington.
The Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, on a tour of the region, paid a courtesy
call on St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Kenny Anthony on Tuesday, May
10, 2005. He spoke of multilateral talks that would lead to increase cooperation
with the CARICOM grouping along the lines of e-government as well as bilateral
discussions that could benefit St. Lucia in the field of tourism.
“We are ready to cooperate and to have much more Italian visitors here than in
the past. We know from Europe that St. Lucia has a very large presence of German
people and it would be nice if we could get similar figures of Italian tourists
coming to your country,” said Bettamino.
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Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister
Giampaolo Bettamio |
Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Kenny Anthony said the relationship between
Italy and St. Lucia had been longstanding and has been strengthened over the
years. The arrival of the Italian Deputy Foreign Minister he noted, would allow
for discussions not only on domestic and regional issues but on international
issues like the reform of the United Nations and its Security Council.
Dr. Anthony said, “Italy holds a fascination for people in the Caribbean.” He
noted, “We must never forget that the majority of St. Lucians are Catholics and
most of them travel to the Vatican in Rome for religious reasons. Therefore
Italy is an important country to us and that’s why we have maintained an
Honorary Consul in Italy to look after our affairs and the affairs of St. Lucia
over there.”
Prime Minister Anthony pointed out that discussions on boosting tourist arrivals
from Italy and surrounding areas will be pursued vigorously, as St. Lucia had in
the past welcomed to it’s shores several high level Italian officials among
them, Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
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