“The award recognises India’s support for Dominica in healthcare, education, and information technology under PM Modi’s leadership,” read a statement by the office of the Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.
| Photo Credit: X/@narendramodi

Dominica has conferred its top award on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his contributions to the Caribbean nation during the COVID-19 pandemic and his dedication to enhancing the bilateral partnership between India and Dominica.

The Prime Minister, who is in Guyana on the last leg of his three-nation visit, was conferred the “Dominica Award of Honour” by President Sylvanie Burton of Dominica during the India-CARICOM Summit in Guyana on Wednesday (November 20, 2024).

“Honoured to be conferred with the highest national award by Dominica. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

“The award is a recognition of PM’s statesmanship and contribution to Dominica during the COVID-19 pandemic and his commitment to strengthening India-Dominica ties,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X.

Guyana and Barbados will also confer their top awards on Prime Minister Modi, bringing his tally of international honours to 19.

Dominica announced its top award to PM Modi a few days ago.

“In February 2021, Prime Minister Modi supplied Dominica with 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine — a generous gift that enabled Dominica to extend support to its Caribbean neighbours,” read a statement by the office of the Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

“The award also recognises India’s support for Dominica in healthcare, education, and information technology under PM Modi’s leadership and his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives and sustainable development on a global level,” it read.

The statement quoted Prime Minister Skerrit as saying that the award is an expression of Dominica’s gratitude for PM Modi’s solidarity with Dominica and the wider region.

In accepting the offer of the award, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling global challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts and affirmed India’s commitment to working alongside Dominica and the Caribbean in addressing these issues, the statement underlined.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by members of the Indian community upon his arrival, in Georgetown, Guyana.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (November 20, 2024) praised the Indian diaspora members – many of them migrated more than 180 years ago – in Guyana saying he was glad to see the members making a mark across different sectors.

PM Modi’s visit is the first visit by an Indian head of state in more than 50 years. He arrived here in the wee hours after a late Tuesday (November 19, 2024) departure from Brazil and interacted with the Indian diaspora members at the hotel.

There are around 3,20,000 people of Indian origin in Guyana, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which described it as “one of the oldest Indian diasporas, which migrated more than 185 years ago.”

Apart from the people of Indian origin, there are about 2,000 Indian nationals, mainly restricted to members of the Indian Mission, Indian Cultural Centre of the Mission, staff of Bank of Baroda and other international agencies, doctors, nurses, students of private medical institutions and workers employed by local companies, hospitals and University of Guyana, according to the High Commission of India.

“A heartfelt thank you to the Indian community in Guyana for their warm and spirited welcome. They have shown that distance is never a barrier to staying connected to one’s roots. Glad to see the community making a mark here across different sectors,” PM Modi posted on X along with some photos from the interaction.

“Prime Minister received a rousing and colourful welcome from the Indian community and the Indo-Guyanese diaspora in the presence of several Cabinet Ministers of Guyana,” the MEA said in a statement.

The community members were dressed in their traditional bests and many of them were seen carrying the Indian tricolour in their hands. PM Modi was also presented a sketch made by a member amid loud chanting of slogans.

Earlier, in an unprecedented gesture, PM Modi was received at the airport by Guyana President Irfan Ali, his counterpart Mark Anthony Phillips and over a dozen cabinet ministers while at the hotel, they were joined by the Prime Ministers of Grenada Dickon Mitchell and Barbados Mia Amor Mottley too.

PM Modi was also handed over the ‘Key to the City of Georgetown’ as a testament to the close India-Guyana ties, officials said.

The prime minister is on the last leg of his three-nation visit after attending the G20 Summit in Brazil and visiting Nigeria. PM Modi, who is visiting Guyana at the invitation of President Ali, will remain in the country till Thursday (November 21, 2024).