 | |
 Barbados |  United States |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of Barbados, Washington, DC | Embassy of the United States, Bridgetown |
| Envoy | |
| Ambassador Noel Anderson Lynch | Ambassador Roger F. Nyhus |
TheUnited States andBarbados have had cordialbilateral relations since Barbados' independence in 1966. The United States has supported the government's efforts to expand the country's economic base and to provide a higherstandard of living for its citizens. Barbados is a beneficiary of the U.S.Caribbean Basin Initiative. U.S. assistance is channeled primarily through multilateral agencies such as theInter-American Development Bank and theWorld Bank, as well as theU.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) office inBridgetown.
In the early 17th century Barbadians began large-scale migration from Barbados to the areas ofNorth and South Carolina, becoming among some of the first resident settlers in those states.[1]
The first English settlement inSouth Carolina was made in 1670, when three shiploads of emigrants fromBarbados sailed up the Ashley River. The first ship to land was the Carolina, in April 1670. It was followed shortly by the Port Royal and the Three Brothers. These three ships left Barbados with 150 people on board; two died en route. The settlers pitched their tents on its banks and built a town, which has since wholly disappeared. Ten years later, a more favorable site for the town, between theCooper andAshley Rivers, was chosen. This is where Charles Town was founded in 1680, where it remains today with the slightly altered nameCharleston. Since the Barbadians had been in the "plantation" business for decades, they brought this concept and its associated culture to Charles Town in the 1670s.[2]
In 1751,George Washington visited Barbados.[3] He stayed at what is nowGeorge Washington House (Barbados).
The U.S. Government has been represented on Barbados since 1923.
In 1993–94 Barbados was considering joining theNorth American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).[4] However, by 1996, this bid was put off in favour of the seeking admission to theFree Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).[5]
In May 1997, Barbadian Prime MinisterOwen Arthur hosted U.S. PresidentBill Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first-ever U.S.-regional summit inBridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional cooperation on justice and counter narcotics issues, finance and development, and trade.
Barbados receives counter-narcotics assistance and is eligible to benefit from theU.S. military's exercise-related andhumanitarian assistance construction program.
The U.S.-based telecommunications company Liberty Latin America[6] (d/b/aCable and Wireless), is the incumbent telephone service provider for the entire country of Barbados.
The first embassy for the United States to Barbados was located at the former Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building on Broad Street. Later, this was transformed from a consulate to an embassy in 1966.After outgrowing the available space on Broad Street, the embassy began searching for a new home. In 1997, the diplomatic mission sought a purpose-built location inWildey and in 2003, construction of the new U.S. Embassy designed by Sorg Architects began.[7] On January 11, 2007, the embassy moved from three old locations into the one new facility.[8] The current mission houses eight US government agencies, working in 24 countries and territories across the region.[9]
Barbados and U.S. authorities cooperate closely in the fight againstnarcotics trafficking and other forms oftransnational crime. In 1996, the United States and Barbados signed amutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) and an updatedextradition treaty covering all common offenses, includingconspiracy andorganized crime. Amaritime law enforcement agreement was signed in 1997.
A populartourist destination, Barbados had around 570,000 tourists in 2006, mainlycruise ship visitors. The majority of tourists are from theUnited Kingdom,Germany, the Caribbean, and the United States. An estimated 3,000 Americans reside in the country.
In 2011 Barbados was added to a US work visa list.[10]
Barbados is among 15 countries added to a list eligible to participate in two United States foreign workers programmes known and H2A and H2B. [. . .] Jamaica, Belize and the Dominican Republic are among the 53 nations approved under both programmes.
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromU.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets.United States Department of State.
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