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  • 1 year ago
The outgoing United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago received one of this country's highest awards - the Hummingbird Medal Gold

Ambassador Candace Bond says she is honoured and humbled to receive the award and says once her tenure ends, she will be back for Carnival, as she expressed her love for Trinidad and Tobago.

Juhel Browne reports.
Transcript
00:00At President's House on Friday, history in the making, as President Christine Kangaloo
00:06on the advice of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley bestowed one of Trinidad and Tobago's highest
00:11awards, the Hummingbird Medal, to outgoing United States Ambassador Candace Bond.
00:16According to the Office of the Prime Minister's website, the Hummingbird Medal may be awarded
00:21to any person who has rendered loyal and devoted service beneficial to Trinidad and Tobago
00:27in any field of human endeavor or for gallantry or for humane action.
00:32Those present for the brief ceremony were Chief Justice Ivor Archie, Attorney General
00:37Reginald L'Amour, and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amy Brown.
00:40Soon to be Prime Minister, Energy Minister Stuart Young was also in attendance.
00:45Also present were Ambassador Bond's husband and her daughter.
00:49After receiving the Hummingbird Medal, Ambassador Bond spoke with the media and expressed her
00:54gratitude to Trinidad and Tobago.
00:56I'm so proud and humbled to receive this award today and I do so on behalf of all the
01:03people here and I do so on behalf of the United States of America and I represent my country
01:09with pride today.
01:10Thank you so very much.
01:13Ambassador Bond was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago during the
01:16administration led by U.S. President Joe Biden.
01:19I came here two years and two months ago.
01:23I fell in love with Trinidad and Tobago.
01:27Just the rich culture, the heritage, the resiliency and I was determined to ensure that we had
01:34a strong bilateral relationship but I was also determined that by the time I left I
01:39was going to be Trini to the bone.
01:41So I've got a while before I'm Trini to the bone but I feel today is a great celebration
01:51of our bilateral relationship and just the relationship that I have been able to build
01:56with the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:59During the Hummingbird Medal Award Ceremony, the Masters of Ceremonies acknowledged the
02:03role Ambassador Bond played in several areas of diplomacy between the U.S. and Trinidad
02:08and Tobago.
02:09What would you consider your biggest achievement or top three achievements during your tenure
02:14here as U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago?
02:18I would say one of the first ones was our cultural and our educational exchange and
02:26working hard to ensure that all children here in the country were able to receive public
02:33education and find a way to do that.
02:36The easing of U.S. sanctions on the government of Venezuela during Ambassador Bond's tenure
02:41contributed to the progress made on the deal between the government of Trinidad and Tobago
02:46led by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley and the government of Venezuela led by President
02:50Nicolas Maduro on the drug and gas deal.
02:53I'm also very proud of our interactions with the government of Trinidad and Tobago,
02:59particularly in the areas of energy security and also in the issues of national security.
03:05We've worked very closely with the Minister of National Security and continue to do so.
03:10And I know I leave the embassy in great hands and our work will continue to flourish throughout
03:15the region.
03:16Ambassador Bond has said her favorite memory of Trinidad and Tobago is the people.
03:21And this is not the last time I'll be here.
03:23I'll be back for Carnival for sure.
03:26I participated in Carnival every year I've been here and I've just had the most marvelous
03:32time.
03:33And I thank you all for embracing my family the way that you have.
03:38Once Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election last year, the tenure of all U.S.
03:43ambassadors would end to make way for the new ones under his administration.
03:49Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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