Sister-City AgreementEstablishes Ties between New York and Bridgetown
Agreement Signed
A sister-city agreement has been signed between New York, USA, and Bridgetown, Barbados, to establish a formal partnership between the two cities.
About the Agreement
The agreement was signed by Barbados Minister of State in the Office of the Attorney General with responsibility for Crime Prevention, Corey Lane, at his office in Webster’s Business Park, Wildey, while it was simultaneously initialed in New York by Mayor Eric Adams, who is keen to promote ties with the Caribbean.
Goals of the Agreement
Mr. Lane explained that the aim of the agreement is to bring the two cities closer, while tapping into the Barbadian diaspora.
Barbadian Diaspora in New York
Physically, Bridgetown is located about 2000 miles from New York City, but the American city does have a population that includes between 60,000 to 80,000 Barbadians or persons of Bajan descent.
New York: A Key Tourism Market for Barbados
New York is one of the largest tourism markets for Barbados. Fortunately for the sister cities, both Jet Blue and American airlines have direct flights between the cities.
Partnerships and Exchanges
Mr. Lane said, “The diaspora there in New York is very excited to give back [to Barbados]. We will be partnering with them in areas of education, technology, crime prevention, sharing data for progress and social development, [among other things]; and it is a very exciting prospect, and we don’t stop here.…
We will also be…working to activate other sister-city agreements that we have, like in Panama City, and also looking to do a number of others…. So, we’ll be pressing ahead with all of these to make sure that we bring benefit to the people of Barbados.”
Future Exchanges
The Minister stated that moving forward, there would be various exchanges between the two cities, and listed them as including youth, business people, business ideas, and ventures. He added that the physical exchanges would begin in January 2025.
“So, it’s something that…I’m very, very excited about, and I’m sure that on the other side – New York, they are excited as well,” he said.
Study Tours and Knowledge Sharing
Mr. Lane disclosed that as recently as last week he had meetings with Barbadians living in the USA, looking at some of their violence prevention methodologies and best practices. He reported that Barbados and those states could learn a lot from each other.
“So, we’re basically exchanging ideas and negotiating, and we will also be doing some study tours. These study tours include…having some of our programme officers go and see some of these programmes in action, so that we can…tweak them to our cultural significance and relevance, to ensure that we bring the best for Barbados,” he stated.
Conclusion
The sister-city agreement between New York and Bridgetown aims to foster a stronger bond between the two cities, while also promoting cultural and economic exchange.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the goal of the sister-city agreement?
- How many Barbadians or persons of Bajan descent live in New York?
- What airlines offer direct flights between New York and Bridgetown?
To bring the two cities closer and tap into the Barbadian diaspora.
Between 60,000 to 80,000.
Jet Blue and American airlines.