BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, NOVEMBER 25TH 2013 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has held talks in France on a proposed bi-lateral economic development agreement between Basseterre and Paris.
The St. Kitts and Nevis leader met with several members of the French Senate, who are also members of that organ’s Inter-Parliamentary group on Franco-Caribbean relations.
Discussions focused on ways in which the senators, most of whom represent the French Caribbean Overseas Departments in the Senate, can collaborate with St. Kitts and Nevis in strengthening relationships through a number of strategic and practical measures.
Prime Minister Douglas in a separate meeting with France’s Non-Resident Ambassador to CARICOM and OECS, His Excellency Fred Constant discuss the two government’s interests in partnering in the areas of training in hospitality services for young people from St. Kitts and Nevis; geothermal energy exploration and development, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies and agriculture.
Prime Minister Douglas also met with Mr. Christian Rognone, Chief Executive Officer of the international French Airport Operations and Management group, EGIS, which manages airports around the world, to discuss opportunities for increasing the services and revenues of the airport as well as ways to improve opportunities for investment in the airport facilities and infrastructure as well as for its long term growth.
Prime Minister Douglas was accompanied by His Excellency Dr. Kevin M. Isaac, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and Dr. David Doyle, Honorary Consul of St. Kitts and Nevis in Paris.
Photo 1 – (from left to right) – Senator George Patient, (representing French Guiana); Senator Jacques Cornano who is also president of the Cross-Parliamentary Group on Franco-Caribbean Relations; St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas; Senator Serge Larcher, representing Martinique and also president of the Senatorial Delegation for Overseas Territories; and Senator Christopher-Andre Frassa (who represents French people living overseas).