US Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally first met US President Barack Obama
when the future world leader was just an 18 year old college kid. It’s
no understatement to say they’ve both come a long way – and while
Obama’s path has led him to the highest office in the land, he gave his
friend a diplomatic posting. Thummalapally is the first Indian-=American Ambassador
and says that in the first month on the job, he’s already falled in love
with the place.
And if it’s any indication of the new open-ness promised by the
Obama Administration, he held the first press conference inside the US Embassy
in Belmopan this morning. He said Belize and the United States have much in
common.
Vinai Thummalapally, US Ambassador to Belize
“I feel Belize and the United States are sort of joined at the hip.
If you look at the numbers, just look at the sheer number of Belizeans who live
in the United States, look at the amount of trade that the United States does
with Belize and which Belize does with the United States, the number of visitors,
the tourists that come to visit this beautiful country. It is several times
greater than the population of Belize. So I feel the strategic importance is
very high.”
And for critics, that is just the point, the interest is strategic, meaning
the US is interested in investing in equipment to bolster Belize’s security
forces, but what about human development? Ambassador Thummalapally said curbing
crime is everyone’s business.
Vinai Thummalapally,
“To those critiques who say America’s relationship with Belize
is more in the strategic interest of America, my answer is that yes but I see
that in a positive light, that’s its also strategic interest for Belizeans
and more power to that because the more we work together and cooperate, the
better off our chances will be to solve these tough problems and these are tough
problems I know.”
Tough problems but the Ambassador says the US presence in the region will reflect
President Obama’s address to the OAS at the fifth Summit of the Americas.
Vinai Thummalapally,
“Some of the statement or points that were brought up by President
Obama in Port of Spain sort of helped, it has helped create an image in my mind
of engagement and engagement with the spirit of true partnership.”
And in that spirit, this Ambassador says Belize is free to have its own partners.
Vinai Thummalapally,
“The United States does not consider a matter like this as a litmus
test. We are more interested in our relationship with Belize based on Belize’s
actions and Belize’s institutions and Belize’s state of affairs.
We do not consider Belize’s friendship, good strong friendships, at the
national level with either of the two countries, Cuba and Venezuela, to in any
way adversely affect the United States’ relationship with Belize.”
Thummalapally also commented on the BTL takeover.
Vinai Thummalapally,
“The BTL takeover by the government of Belize with some concern in
that you know, the United States hopes and expects Belize to conduct itself
in a respectful fashion. We believe that’s going to happen in terms of
compensating the shareholders appropriately and follow all the international
rules and regulations and laws. So yeah it kind of raised a lot of eyebrows
when that happened but clearly we do not have a position or a stance or a huge
concern in that at this point. We believe that the government of Belize will
conduct itself in a proper manner.”
Thumallapally spoke also about President Obama’s comment to the Prime
Minister that he would like to visit Belize.
Vinai Thummalapally,
“The statement he made to Prime Minister Barrow in Port of Spain back
in April is correct. I confirmed that in a conversation I had with the President
but when I talked about him visiting us he said he would love to but it’s
something that he would work on.”
And while the prospect of a President Obama visit appears iffy at best, Thummalapally
says he is certain about his passion project which will be the development of
microfinance in Belize.
Vinai Thummalapally,
“The goal is to help people to be able to take loans in the smallest
amounts, $50, $100, $200, $250 type of loans to pull themselves out of abject
poverty. It is a personal passion of mine to just not be talking to the folks
in Corozal and the Free Zone and San Pedro or some developer in San Pedro or
somebody in some organization in Belmopan but really look in remote parts, rural
parts of areas of Toledo and so on where people really want to better themselves.
Of course the idea is not to do it out of the embassy but our job at the embassy
is to be catalysts, to bring the right people together.”
And with that, the Ambassador says he wants to be remembered as a friend.
Vinai Thummalapally,
“I would like to be remembered as a friend of Belize; here was this
man who came here and had a very interesting path to get to Belize but he was
a true friend to Belize. That is the legacy I would like to leave.”
Thummalapally worked at a digital media company before taking up this
post. He was also a very successful fundraiser for the Obama campaign.
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