Senator the Honourable Allen Chastanet, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation for St. Lucia was guest speaker at CBBC Parliamentary Reception on 13th of March at the House of Lords.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon John Prescott MP, also attended and spoke at the annual event which is now in its fourth year.

The reception was hosted by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, President of the Caribbean Britain Business Council. Also in attendance was Hon Kenneth Valley, Minister of Trade for Trinidad & Tobago. Guest included members of the CBBC as well as over 65 MP�s and Peers.

Mr Chastanet took the position of Minister of Tourism in 2006 after a successful career working in the Caribbean tourism industry. He was in London to chair a meeting between the Caribbean Hotel Association and the British travel industry to discuss the ways in which the Caribbean tourism industry can maintain its competitiveness in the face of measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Senator Chastenet generously donated a prize for the raffle of a complimentary stay in St Lucia for the Food and Rum festival due to take place in November this year. Other prizes included two holidays to the Caribbean followed by a selection of premium rums.

The CBBC is a membership organisation which supports and promotes increased two-way trade and investment activity between the UK and the Caribbean. It makes representations on behalf of business, provides market information, and organises trade visits and networking events. The CBBC recognises the important long-term role the private sector has to play in delivering sustainable social and economic development in the Caribbean.

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