Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has described the just-concluded Crop Over season as ???very successful???.
He made the comments last night at the annual Crop Over Reception, held on the grounds of Ilaro Court. Those attending included locals and members of the Barbadian diaspora in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Caribbean, Panama and Cuba, who were here for the Barbados Network Consultation 2014 ??? Third Diaspora Conference.
Mr. Stuart told the gathering: ???The success of the season is to be traced to the maturity of the people of Barbados and their capacity to handle events as large as Crop Over. But, the success is also to be traced to the hindsight, the insight and the foresight of the Minister and Ministry of Culture and, of course, the National Cultural Foundation. They made sure once again, that when Barbados was put on display, that we all emerged like knights in shining armour.???
He thanked those involved for the ???impressive execution??? of the festival, saying that about 40 events, which were well patronised, were held during the eight weeks.
Prime Minister Stuart also thanked those who participated in the diaspora conference, describing it as ???very successful???. He congratulated them for attaching great importance to the conference and engaging in robust dialogue.
During the night, Mr. Stuart presented Professor Cardinal Warde with the Prime Minister???s Award of Excellence, for his avid and substantive promotion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in the best interest of Barbados and the region. He was also recognised for his outstanding contribution as an inventor and his academic achievements.
A surprised Professor Warde said he was ???honoured and touched at the goodness and graciousness of the Prime Minister and his team??? in acknowledging his work over the years.
He continued: ???While I started the Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation with lots of others and the Caribbean Science Foundation, which is located here in Barbados, with lots of others, they all deserve credit and this is really their award. We are a grassroots organisation; we have very small budgets and a very small team, but yet our impact is actually across the region??????
Professor Warde is a 1974 PhD Yale University Graduate in Physics and a Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb