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Stephen Lashley, Minister of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth??(right) accepts the Americas Award for outstanding efforts in advancing the Millenium Development Goals to combat HIV and AIDS and other diseases, from Senator Haynesley Benn, Minister of Commerce and Trade who served as the governmental representative, earlier this month, at the America Competitive Forum in the Dominican Republic. (A.Miller/BGIS)

Barbados’ efforts in combatting HIV and AIDS were given high praise when, along with 10 other countries, it received the prestigious Americas Award at the Americas Competitiveness Forum held in the Dominican Republic earlier this month.

Minister of Commerce and Trade, Senator Haynesley Benn, who served as the governmental representative at the Forum, officially presented the award to Minister of Youth, Family, Sports and Culture, Stephen Lashley, at Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St. Michael yesterday.??

Minister Benn said he was proud of the country’s efforts in addressing the pandemic and noted that being given such a coveted award spoke to Barbados’ proactive approach to addressing the issue.

Minister Lashley stated that he was honoured to have Barbados’ HIV and AIDS programme recognised, adding that he accepted it "very humbly, because it really is an award which has to reflect the total approach by the National HIV and AIDS Commission and, indeed, the Ministry, in its approach to the HIV and AIDS pandemic.?? So far we have adopted the political statement recently concluded at the UN and we have basically incorporated that into our strategies," he noted, adding that Barbados would continue to strive to serve as an example to be followed by other countries.??

Other recipients of Awards were Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic.??

nekaelia.hutchinson@barbados.gov.bb

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