New US Ambassador Tours LNG plant

The newly-appointed US Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Roger Nyhus, recently paid a visit to the LNG plant at Crabb’s Peninsula, Antigua and Barbuda, where he expressed his appreciation for the country’s efforts to transition away from fossil fuels to liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Ambassador Nyhus, who was nominated for the post in September 2022 and officially assumed office last month

He has a career history of promoting American companies in sectors relevant to the Eastern Caribbean, such as sustainability and energy, aviation, travel and tourism, telecommunications, global health and healthcare, financial services, global philanthropy, seafood, and the arts.

During his first visit to the island, Ambassador Nyhus was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Chet Greene, Energy Minister Melford Nicholas, Chairman of the Antigua Power Company Francis Hadeed, and its CEO Calid Hassan.

They discussed the country’s leadership on energy transition and climate change, with the ambassador expressing confidence in the government’s efforts.

He also praised the country’s leadership on the important issue of transitioning to cleaner energy and noted that it was a positive message for the world that progress was being made despite the challenges.

Energy Minister Nicholas noted that there was still much progress towards cleaner energy, but he hailed the close public-private partnership with Antigua Power Company, which has been instrumental in driving the transition.

Foreign Affairs Minister Greene also expressed his support for the development, saying that it sends an important message about the critical nature of green energy.

In addition to discussing energy transition and climate change, the ambassador also expressed his willingness to assist in resolving the longstanding trading dispute between the US and Antigua and Barbuda, which has overshadowed much of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.