Above: Bridgetown (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

New Zealand has opened its first-ever High Commission in the Caribbean.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully has appointed diplomat Jan Henderson as the country’s first-ever High Commissioner in Barbados. The High Commission will be c0-located with the United Kingdom High Commission in Bridgetown.

“New Zealand and Barbados have long-standing Commonwealth ties,” McCully said in a government statement. “Through our involvement in the Pacific Islands Forum it has become apparent that we face similar regional challenges. From renewable energy to disaster risk management, New Zealand has relevant experience to share with Caribbean nations.”

The new high commission is also accredited to the Organization of American States, Trinidad and Tobago, CARICOM and Guyana.

Henderson, who recently presented her credentials to Dominica President Charles Savarin, said the move represented “milestone in our endeavour to deepen and broaden the relationship in this region.”

“We have historical links, we both share a passion for democracy, we have the Commonwealth connection, and we certainly have a deep love of cricket and a long sense of history with cricket… and so, we think we can do more, we think that we can really expand this relationship and we are determined that we should do that.,” she said.