Serving the Barbadian diaspora in Canada; A chat with the Honourable Sonia Marville-Carter

BY LA SHAWNA GRIFFITH

COVID-19 has impacted the way of life for everyone including the Consul General of Canada, The Honourable Sonia Marville-Carter.

I had the opportunity to speak with Sonia Marville-Carter, who was in Barbados for personal family matters. She was impressed with the procedures Barbados has in place for testing persons upon arrival for COVID-19.

“I can say that Barbados has done an excellent job with the COVID-19 protocols and the procedures at the airport. I did not get my results back in time despite having a test in Canada. When I arrived in Barbados, I had to get a COVID 19 test as my results were not processed in time,” she said.

She added that her experience has now equipped her with the ability to tell Canadians that they have nothing to worry about when they enter the Grantley Adams International Airport.

“I was not sorry I had to get the test done because it allowed me to know how it felt. I had the test done and it was smooth. We were taken to a hotel to await our test and even offered a meal while we waited. I was pleased with the levels of sanitization. It was fantastic. The procedures on arrival were well thought out and went very well.”

Marville-Carter who has been the Consul General of Barbados in Canada for almost two years, said COVID-19 forced the Consuls to get up to speed with using technology for visa applications and general procedures.

“COVID-19 put a springboard on a lot of the online aspects of our operations, so we had to jump ahead to offer those services quickly.” 

Turning her attention to the Barbados Welcome Stamp, which was announced by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley on June 30^th, 2020 she noted a vast majority of Canadians have become interested.

“There have been a lot of interested people in Canada. Persons inquiring about the Barbados Welcome Stamp from the time it was announced have approached our consulate. I cannot tell you how much have followed through with the application but there have been magazines and other media who have reached out to us as well.”

She reflected on her journey as Consul General of Barbados in Canada. “My experience thus far has been very good. It has been wonderful serving the Barbadian diaspora in Canada as we have just over 32,000 Barbadians who reside in Canada with a large number in the Greater Toronto Area. 

It has been really good to mix in with Barbadians living in Canada and ensure them that this Government is focused on the diaspora. It has been exceptionally rewarding to be able to be with Barbadians living in Canada and being able to engage with them in every area.” 

Marville-Carter said another part of her role as Consul General is engaging with other Consul Generals in the 107 countries. The 107 countries operating in Canada get together once a month and since COVID-19 they meet via Zoom.

One of her most memorable moments was being invited to a Sri Lankan couple’s home where she had the opportunity to immerse herself in the culture and food.

Her advice for any young person seeking to become a Consul General is to have a well-rounded education, and to be cognizant of international affairs.

“Persons who want to be a part of the diplomatic arena must be read on international affairs and culture. Generally persons would have a formal education, but you need to be also well versed in international affairs, and generally watch international news, know what is happening in the world, and know what is happening internationally and culturally. 

If you are doing this kind of job you have to be able to adapt and appreciate other cultures. You may travel to a country where their culture is different. You will have to know how to adapt and blend in as much as you can.”