Pictured from left to right: Tracee Dorestant, Second Secretary, Bahamas Embassy; Kim Osbourne, Chief of the OAS Technical Cooperation Section; Dr. Nicola Virgill-Rolle; Samantha L. Rolle; and Mikhail Bullard, Second Secretary, Bahamas Embassy
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although in Washington DC primarily for Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) high-level discussions, Dr. Nicola Virgill-Rolle, Director of Economic Development and Planning in the Office of the Prime Minister, began her working visit to Washington DC on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, with a briefing for Ambassador Dr. Eugene Newry and diplomatic staff at the Embassy on the progress in developing a National Development Plan, which was followed by a similar briefing for Consul General Paulette Zonicle and Consular staff during a luncheon meeting at Consular Annex.
Dr. Virgill-Rolle then engaged in discussions with Ms. Maryse Robert, Director of Economic Development at the Organization of American States (OAS), on the provision of technical assistance to support the creation of a Competitiveness Council and a Small Business development Centre in The Bahamas.
Later, Dr. Virgill-Rolle met with Ms. Kim Osbourne, Chief of the Technical Cooperation Section at the OAS, and discussed the mechanisms for the OAS to facilitate seed funding for national and multinational initiatives and to facilitate access to triangular and south-south cooperation partnerships. Commitments were made to further engage on the submission of a Bahamian project for consideration by the OAS Development Cooperation Fund for the subsequent funding cycle.
Dr. Virgill-Rolle will close out her visit with two days of high-level discussions at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) on the ‘Centre of Government’ concept, which focuses on strengthening institutions supporting management, strategic planning and coordination across government.
