The SVG Indian Heritage Foundation is pleased to welcome the new High Commissioner of India to SVG, His Excellency Mr Shankar Balachandran and his spouse, resident in Suriname, on their first official visit to SVG from Tuesday December 28th 2021 to Wednesday January 5th 2022.
On Tuesday December 28th 2021 His Excellency The High Commissioner and his spouse were met at the VIP Lounge of the Argyle International Airport by Honorary Consul for India to SVG Mr Junior Bacchus and PRO of the SVG Indian Heritage Foundation Mr Colvin Harry.
On Wednesday December 29th 2021 the High Commissioner met with Officials and presented his credentials to Governor General Her Excellency, Dame Susan Dougan at Government House and Prime Minister Dr the Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves at the Office of the Prime Minister. He also met with Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health, Hon. St Clair Prince and the Cuban Ambassador, His Excellency Jose Manuel Leyva Ventura.
On Thursday December 30th 2021 the Ambassador visited the Rabacca Dry river and Sandy Bay and viewed damage caused by the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano. He met with some members of the Carib Indian community there. He toured some Indian Government assisted programmes and projects in SVG, namely the Arrowroot factory at Orange Hill, where he was met by Hon. Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture. He also visited the Madeira Valley Heritage Park at Bridgetown, followed by the Quick Impact Project and Playing field facility at Glenside, where he met with Hon. St Clair Prince, Parliamentary Representative for Marriaqua and cricket star Sunil Ambris.
On Friday December 31st 2021 the High Commissioner travelled to Bequia, where he visited the Rehabilitation of the Bequia market and called on Dr. The Hon. Godwin Friday, Leader of the Opposition and Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines.
On Sunday January 1st 2022 he met with Hon. Carlos James, Minister of Tourism in Chateaubelair and toured the Indian Government funded project of the Chateaubelair Agro Processing and Training Centre, where processing of local food will be dome to add valueby the Youth and other persons in the areas. Later that evening the SVG Indian Heritage Foundation hosted a dinner meeting in his honour to discuss several bi-lateral projects, including the Heritage site and Cultural Centre at Argyle.
On Monday January 3rd 2022 he met with two Deans of the Trinity and St James Medical Universities, followed by a community meeting at Calder with the membership of the Foundation, where areas of co-operation between the Embassy and the Foundation were discussed. The Hon. Frederick Stephenson, Parliamentary Representative for South Windward and Minister of National Mobilization was present. At this function, Mr Junior Bacchus, on behalf of his office as Honorary Consul for India to SVG presented the High Commissioner with a copy of the recently published masterpiece “Stories from our Indian elders” written by Mr Lenroy Thomas, a Vincentian national from Richland Park, living in Turkey. The High Commissioner commended the work of Lenroy and gave his Embassy’s commitment to assist in the purchase and distribution of copies of this book.
The High Commissioner and his spouse left SVG on Wednesday January 5th 2022. He was seen off at the VIP Lounge at the Argyle International Airport by Honorary Consul for India to SVG Mr Junior Bacchus, who accompanied him on all his visits during the week.
The SVG Indian Heritage Foundation looks forward to continued good relationships with the High Commissioner in Suriname and the Government of India.