Your Excellency Fidelia Graand-Galon, Ambassador of the Republic of Suriname and Mr. Herman Graand
Ms. Frances Seignoret, Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Specially Invited Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is an honour to be able to host you all here today to bid farewell to Her Excellency Fidelia Graand-Galon, Ambassador of the Republic of Suriname, whose tour of duty in Trinidad and Tobago has come to an end. Her Excellency Fidelia Graand-Galon shall be demitting office after eight (8) years of service, having presented her Letters of Accreditation in July 2007. Of these eight (8) years, two (2) were spent as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, a role that you performed with a high standard of professionalism. I have the pleasure of conveying the sincere gratitude of the Government and the People of Trinidad and Tobago for her contribution to all levels of society during her time here in Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname share a cordial bilateral relationship. While Diplomatic Relations were established between our two countries in 1978, these relations were consolidated with the establishment of the Embassy of the Republic of Suriname in Trinidad and Tobago in 1997 and the appointment of Dr. Rudie Tjong-A-Hung as Honorary Consul of Trinidad and Tobago in Suriname in 1999.
Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname remain committed to working together within the Organs of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and cooperating in other hemispheric and international organizations such as the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations (UN) towards the achievement of the development of our countries and the prosperity and well-being of the people of the region as a whole.
Excellency, among the highlights of your tour of duty were the visits in 2013 of His Excellency Desiré Bouterse, President of the Republic of Suriname, to participate in several CARICOM and related regional meetings. These included the Thirty-Fourth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, as well as the State Visit of His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China and the Official Visit of the Honourable Joseph Biden Jr., Vice President of the United States of America.
In 1998, the Governments of Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago signed two (2) agreements – one on Technical and Scientific Cooperation, the other on Cultural Cooperation. These agreements aim at strengthening ties between the two countries in diverse areas such as agriculture and fisheries, tourism, natural resources, trade and investment, energy, culture, sport and education.
Evidence of collaboration in the field of culture was demonstrated by your Embassy’s hosting of celebrations of keti-koti, more familiarly known as Emancipation Day in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the visit of the cultural delegation that comprised the dance group Teke Leli, the choir Troki and the culinary group, Tori Oso . You have excelled in the sphere of cultural exchanges and because of your enthusiasm to share the rich tapestry of Suriname’s cultural products with the Trinidad and Tobago public, I can say indisputably that we have all gained great insight into Surinamese culture and its peoples.
Excellency, your contributions have been duly recognised as evidenced by you having been the Recipient of The Spirit of Emancipation Award in 2010 from the Emancipation Support Committee, for the significant role you have played in linking the diaspora communities of Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
Your work as a Sociologist has made you a much sought after speaker especially on themes related to women and indigenous peoples. We have been extremely fortunate to have you as a regular participant in lectures at academic institutions throughout our country. Your boundless energy and ceaseless will to inform and educate made you a tour de force in the academic field in your native land. It is these very qualities which have contributed, in no small way, to your many accomplishments during your tour of duty here.
Ambassador, your interaction with people from all facets of life ranging from the diplomatic community to civil society is commendable. Your ability to identify with, collaborate and work with persons from all social standings is no doubt worthy of mention.
We will remember with pleasure the time spent here with us in Trinidad and Tobago. Diplomatic life involves a steady series of greetings and farewells. However, I can say with certainty that this is not ‘goodbye’ but rather an ‘until we meet again’. I hope you remember your time here in Trinidad and Tobago with a great degree of fondness.
Excellency, as you proceed to leave Trinidad and Tobago, I would like to wish you the best in your prospective endeavours and I wish to assure you a warm welcome should you return in the future. I therefore take this opportunity to once again thank you for the work that you have done during your time in Trinidad and Tobago.
May I now invite you, Ladies and Gentlemen, to join me in proposing a toast to the good health, personal well-being and prosperity of Her Excellency Fidelia Graand-Galon, and to the continued strong bilateral ties between Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname.
I thank you.
