PM Terrance Drew bids farewell to former US Ambassador Roger Nyhus

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew, on Friday, January 17, 2025, extended his best wishes and farewell to outgoing US Ambassador to Barbados, Eastern Caribbean and the OECS, Roger Nyhus. The greetings were extended to him during a special cocktail reception hosted at Government House.  

During the ceremony, the officials also extended their gratitude to the Ambassador for his utmost assistance during his tenure and wished him good wishes for future. 

Apart from PM Drew and former Ambassador Nyhus, the ceremony was attended by other cabinet ministers including Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Denzil Douglas, Attorney General Garth Wilkin, Governor General Marcella Liburd, Chairman of Citizenship by Investment Unit Calvin St Juste and other senior government officials and staff from the US Embassy in Bridgetown. 

To celebrate Nyhus’ successful over one year in office, PM Drew also made a toast and got a cake cut by him which had the words ‘Best Wishes’ on it and was adorned with St Kitts and Nevis’ and United States’ flag.  

Through a special video, Roger Nyhus – the former US Ambassador shared a special message as Joe Biden left office following his 5-year term. He expressed his heartfelt thank you to the people of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean for opening their hearts, businesses and governments to him.  

He said that as President Biden’s US Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, he has been here only a year and yet he has done so much together with the governments of these regions. “I am so grateful to all of you for your partnership, for your action, for your passion,” added Nyhus. 

It has been an incredible honor to serve as President Biden’s U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. I am deeply grateful for the warmth and friendship of the people and governments — and the considerable successes we achieved together over the past year. As I bid… pic.twitter.com/vUdRlL6f6k

— USEmbassy Bridgetown (@USEmbassyBtown) January 17, 2025

According to him, he joined the office with three priorities including addressing climate change, enhancing regional security and fostering economic prosperity for all adding that, “I can report back to you that we have made progress in all of these areas.” 

He said that the most impressive accomplishment that they have made together was securing almost $1 billion in financial assistance to this region through EXIM Bank, both to Barbados and St Kitts and Nevis and benefitting the entire region.  

While bidding his farewell to everyone, the Ambassador said, “I am just I'm actually speechless about the welcome that you gave me as a Native American, as a small business owner, as someone who grew up in rural America, in a town much smaller than Barbados, or any of the islands that I have visited and am accredited to you.”