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Today on the Trip
Friday, May 9, 1997


Today, Friday, May 9, President Clinton will participate in an environmental event before departing Costa Rica for Barbados. Major events of the President's day include:

Costa Rica:
Binational Environmental Event
Embassy Staff Meet and Greet

Barbados:
Call on Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands
Reception with Caribbean Leaders
Meeting with Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados

Binational Environmental Event

President Clinton will visit Braulio Carrillo National Park, 30 minutes east of San Jose, where he will deliver environmentally-focused remarks before an audience including representatives from various environmental institutions working in Costa Rica and Central America. After the President's remarks, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt and his Costa Rican counterpart will sign a declaration highlighting the successful thirty year record of cooperation between the government of Costa Rica and the U.S. National Park Service.

The father of the Costa Rican National Park Service, Alvaro Ugalde, visited Yellowstone National Park in 1968. Inspired by the idea of protecting pristine areas for recreational and educational purposes, he returned to Costa Rica to launch its park system. The U.S. provided technical advice regarding the training of professional park managers and the administration of park resources. Today Costa Rica stands as a world leader in the management of parks and protected areas.

Embassy Staff Meet and Greet

President Clinton will meet with the staff and families of the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica on Foreign Service Day, May 9. Following an introduction by Ambassador Peter de Vos the President will deliver brief remarks to the assembled group.

Call on Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands

President Clinton will meet with Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands at Government House, the former residence of British colonial governors. In the absence of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, the Governor General is Barbados' Head of State, appointed by the throne with the recommendation and consent of the Barbadian Cabinet.

Reception with Caribbean Leaders at Governor General's Residence

President Clinton will attend a reception held in his honor by Governor General Sir Clifford Husbands and Lady Ruby Husbands. The reception will be attended by the visiting Caribbean heads of government, some with spouses, and the 12 members of the Barbados Cabinet as well as prominent Barbadian and American guests. The Royal Barbados Police Band will play a fanfare to announce the entrance of the heads of government and a Barbadian steel band will play calypso tunes during the reception.

Meeting with Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados

President Clinton will meet with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, to reaffirm the United States' commitment to deepening cooperation with Barbados on a broad range of bilateral issues including counternarcotics, hemispheric free trade and economic investment, aviation safety and the environment. President Clinton will also thank Prime Minister Arthur for hosting the Caribbean Summit and for his strong leadership in the region.

Thursday, May 8, 1997
Wednesday, May 7, 1997
Tuesday, May 6, 1997

President Clinton's Trip to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Barbados