A HUNDRED YEARS after Barbadians left in droves for Panama, a few of their descendants have returned to their motherland to learn its native language.
These cultural links were brought to the fore as 40 Panamanian students were welcomed to the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill campus on Monday as a part of their Panamá Bilingüe (Bilingual Panama) programme.
Speaking at the welcome ceremony, UWI principal Professor Eudine Barriteau welcomed the scholarship-winning pre-university students who would be spending the next four months learning English as a Second Language (ESL) with a focus on business and tourism studies.
“Barbados’ relationship with Panama is unique. The Panamanian experience has been credited with giving momentum to the emergence of a Barbadian middle class, and proving how Barbadians abroad can assist with the development of the nation,” Barriteau said.
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