PM promotes tourism product in Dubai

Prime Minister Mia Mottley,  while celebrating Barbados Day in the United Arab Emirates earlier today, says she hopes the island’s tourism product can be well boosted by the Barbadian presence in that country.

Mottley was speaking during an interview with Dubai Eye Radio’s journalist Brandy Scott at Expo 2020.

“Whether it is tourism, whether it is international business and whether in the sale of our products that are unique … getting the word out there to as many people as possible is important to us in order to sustain our way of life, our economy and this was a wonderful opportunity to begin to change some of the sources of our tourism away from our traditional sources, recognizing that we basically want people to come from all over the world,” she said

“Being Bajan is about understanding who Barbadians are and appreciating who Bajans are. Our people really are our greatest resource and we’ve come to punch above our weight, I think, and others have recognized that and we want to be able to continue to produce global citizens with Bajan roots. We are only 166 square miles but we see ourselves as citizens of this world. To that extent we feel our voice matters and we feel our actions also must reflect who we are but we want to walk the walk and not and not just talk.”

Mottley spoke to the importance of Barbados’ presence at the expo, which she said is another move in having Barbados placed in the international spotlight.

“Both the expo and the embassy represent the building of bridges. We were both colonized by the British but we don’t know each other and this is our opportunity now to know each other. We became independent in 1966 five years after the UAE became independent and we’ve had similar journeys,” the Prime Minister said.

Mottley also made mention of National heroes Sir Garfield Sobers who is known as the greatest all-rounder of all times and spoke proudly of the excellence of Barbados’ second female National Hero, Pop Star Rihanna.

“[Rihanna’s] greatest strength, while her music has been absolutely brilliant, her greatest strength has been in how she has run her business. She took the makeup industry and did not take the traditional approach and she has made sure there were shades for every human being alive,” Mottley said glowingly. (MR)