It is the Christmas Season and one of the things Anguilla is looking forward to, in due course, is the possibility of receiving assistance from India. Despite its 1.37 billion-population, India now ranks considerably high on the world stage with improved knowledge, technology and future readiness – and is extending a helping hand to the Caribbean area.
In Anguilla – to present his credentials to Governor Tim Foy, OBE and for exploratory talks with the Government, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the media -was the Indian High Commissioner based in Georgetown, Guyana, was Dr. K. J. Srinivasa. He met with Governor Foy on Friday, December 13 and with the Government, the media and the business sector on Tuesday, December 17.
In welcoming the India High Commissioner to Anguilla, Premier Victor Banks told the media: “We had a very comprehensive meeting today discussing issues that are so important to us in our development, and how the Government of India can assist. Some of the issues were especially in the area of training where he has made certain commitments. These are opportunities available for our young people and we intend to pursue them. I took the opportunity to ask him about how he can help us in the development of cricket – he being a former cricketer. We look forward to having a very strong engagement in the years to come, and certainly we think that we can definitely benefit from the Government of India’s outreach programme to the developing world.”
Premier Banks added: “India has led the way in a number of areas and that gives us an opportunity to participate in that as well. He has also highlighted some areas of trade and investment which he would like to pursue with the Government of Anguilla. He will be meeting with the Chamber of Commerce later, and I think we are off to a very good start.”
Replying, Dr. Srinivasa said that as the Indian High Commissioner, he was accredited to Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis and Anguilla. Apart from his courtesy visits, and other related matters, he said his visit was also “to explore opportunities for trade, investment and, most importantly to collaborate with the Government of Anguilla in promoting skills development, capacity building and education for Anguillians.”
The High Commissioner, a former medical doctor, continued: “India has a unique programme called the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme which has been running for the past 55 years. We have trained over 200,000 people across 160 countries. This flagship programme, if I might call it so, comprises courses between three to six weeks which are fully-funded scholarships. They are 1,250 various courses which may include from renewable energy to information technology to bio-technology; project-financing; project management; administration issues, petroleum and narcotics courses. We are offering three scholarships to Anguillians from this year (two for the public sector and one for the private sector). They will be requested to fill in the forms on our website. They can choose the particular course that they want, and apply through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the concerned Ministry in Anguilla which will then forward the applications to us. We will then facilitate their travel and training in India.
“These courses have been very useful especially to upgrade the skills of anybody – and at the same time we can use them to promote the capacity within the Ministries of the Government.” The High Commissioner stressed that applicants for the courses should possess one basic or under-graduate degree.
Dr. Srinivasa was asked about the possibility of trade and other economic investment in Anguilla. He replied: “India is a booming economy. We are always on the lookout for trade and investment opportunities across the world, and we understand that there could be sufficient opportunities in Anguilla especially in the infrastructure sector where we can work with certain Ministries here. That would be to try how best Investment can come to Anguilla, in trade and commerce. I am still trying to explore this and will be meeting with the Chamber of Commerce. I am also going to meet with the Anguilla Financial Services Commission to understand how things work in Anguilla.”
The India High Commissioner said his country had no specific budget for doing business in Anguilla as any project undertaken would be private investment with the Indian Government as the facilitator. “We are looking at opportunities in trade and commerce, and bilateral investments, and it depends on the opportunities available,” he added.
While in Anguilla, the High Commissioner visited the Saint James Medical School where there are a number of Indian students and professors. He also met with other members of the Indian community, some of whom are employees at various hospitality establishments on the island.
