NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF BARBADOS PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA

Bentley DeVere Gibbs, the new Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Michael Møller, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Gibbs had served for five years as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (Foreign Trade Division). From 2008 to 2009, he was the Permanent Secretary for Trade, Industry and Commerce, and from 2004 to 2007 he was the Permanent Secretary for Economic Affairs. Mr. Gibbs was the Director of Administration at the Regional Negotiating Machinery of the Caribbean Community in 2002 and 2003. In 2001, he held the position of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development (Industry and International Business) and, prior to that, he was the Director of International Trade at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade from 1996 to 2001.

Between 1992 and 1996, Mr. Gibbs was the Chief Economist of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and before that, from 1987 to 1992, he worked as the Senior Administrative Officer (Energy Division) of the Ministry of Finance and Planning. In 1995, he played a central role in the entry of Barbados to the World Trade Organization. He started his public service career in 1979, when he joined the Ministry of Finance and Planning as a Senior Project Analyst in the Energy Division.

In 2014, Mr. Gibbs was honoured with a Gold Crown of Merit, a national award. He has written a number of publications on Barbados’ economic history and external trade.

Mr. Gibbs holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History, as well as a Diploma in Project Management and Analysis, both from the University of West Indies. Born in 1948,
Mr. Gibbs is married and has two children.



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