Canadian Ambassador – Lilian Chatterjee
Her Excellency Lilian Chatterjee, Canadian Ambassador to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and to Nevis on her first official visit to the island since being appointed to the post in May 2021 was welcomed by the Nevis Premier.
“I’m delighted today to welcome my dear friend Her Excellency Lillian Chatterjee. She’s no stranger to St. Kitts and Nevis and to the Caribbean and she understands very much the issues between Canada and the Caribbean, and the fact that Canada and the Caribbean, more specifically Canada and St. Kitts and Nevis, have a very long, strong and deep relationship.
“I’m delighted to welcome her to Nevis more specifically. I know she’s been to St. Kitts before and now she’s come to see me and I’m really happy to have her here and for us to have a discussion and to strengthen the relationship between Canada and St. Kitts and Nevis. I think the people of Nevis are very familiar with Canada, we have family in Canada, we’ve been to Caribana in Toronto (#ad), and more importantly there’s so much infrastructural development that has been done here through Canada- schools roads, and various developments, and so we have a long, long history,” he said, highlighting that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family vacationed in Nevis in January 2016, his first official vacation after being elected to the office in October 2015.
Ambassador Chatterjee said she was excited to be visiting Nevis and having the opportunity to dialogue with the Premier on matters of bilateral interest.
“I’m fulfilling a promise to Premier Brantley because when I came to St. Kitts last time I did not go to Nevis, and he said ‘next time you come you must come to Nevis’. Certainly the pleasure is all mine. It’s a beautiful, beautiful island and I look forward to exploring it today,” she said.
Premier Brantley presented the Ambassador with a Nevis Naturally gift bag containing locally-made hot sauce and rum, as well as a number of memorabilia from the island.
St. Kitts and Nevis and Canada have enjoyed close diplomatic ties since 1983 and have established a collaborative relationship especially relating to matters of trade, development, tourism, security and climate resilience.