Wednesday 07 September 2022
The Costa Rican Ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Rafael Ortiz Fábrega, has visited Guernsey. This is the second time the Ambassador has come to Guernsey and follows a successful visit in October 2019 to cement the historic links between the two jurisdictions.
During his time in Guernsey, the Ambassador met the Chief Minister, other members of the Policy & Resources Committee and of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure and the Committee for Economic Development. Meetings with politicians focussed on the island's current priorities, environmental initiatives, and the cultural and historic links between Guernsey and Costa Rica through William Le Lacheur. The Ambassador also met with industry representatives and local businesses who would like to improve links with Costa Rica.
While in Guernsey, the Ambassador unveiled a blue plaque commemorating William Le Lacheur. William Le Lacheur was a Guernseyman and merchant who is credited with setting up the direct trade in coffee between Costa Rica and Europe in the 1840s. The plaque unveiling follows a similar event that took place in London in March 2022, attended by Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq as member of the Policy & Resources Committee with responsibility for external affairs, when a plaque was unveiled at St Katharine Docks to mark the 202 years since the beginning of Costa Rica's coffee trade with Europe and recognising the role of William Le Lacheur in making this possible.
President of the Policy & Resources Committee, Deputy Peter Ferbrache said:
"It was a privilege to meet the Costa Rican Ambassador, His Excellency Rafael Ortiz Fábrega, and a pleasure to welcome him back to Guernsey for his second visit to the island. As Guernsey continues to develop its international identity and bilateral relations with jurisdictions across the globe, the historic link through William Le Lacheur provides a foundation for us to develop and strengthen our relationship with Costa Rica and offers us an opportunity to discuss other government priorities that we may be able to work together on in future."
