KINGSTOWN, Jamaica – Jamaica and Guyana Monday signed several agreements strengthening their diplomatic, trade, economic as well as health and tourism as the two countries also moved towards deepening regional and international cooperation.
Visiting Ghanian President, John Dramani Mahama and Prime Minister Andrew Holness, speaking following their bilateral discussions on Monday (CMC Photo)Visiting Ghanian President, John Dramani Mahama, who acknowledged the role Pan Africanism had played in the liberation of both African and Caribbean countries from colonial domination, said that there are now new opportunities for building further solidarity today
“This time is not about liberation from colonial domination. This time it is economic emancipation of our people. And we have no option than to work together, bring our comparative advantages together to be able to create the prosperity that our people deserve,” he told a ceremony here on Monday.
Mahama, who is paying an official visit to Jamaica participating in the country’s Emancipation and Independence commemorations, said that his discussions with Prime Minister Andrew Holness centered on a number of initiatives, including bringing Jamaican and Ghanaian business people together.
“I think that that is one sure way to begin cross investments between our countries. There are many opportunities that exist here in Jamaica. And there are many opportunities that exist in Ghana. Both of us have the vision of creating our nations into hubs for our sub region and so we can cooperate both in investments and in terms of movement of people and services between Accra and Jamaica.”
Mahama said during his discussions with Jamaican business leaders later on Monday, “ we’ll have the opportunity to discuss some of the investments that are available in Ghana, which they can take advantage of and that gives them an opportunity to reach the rest of Africa because of the African continental free trade area.
“You are able to produce or manufacture in one country and export to the other 54 countries. That creates a market of 1.4 billion people with a GDP (gross domestic product) of almost three trillion US dollars.
“And so, that opportunity is available. But vice versa, getting investors to look at the opportunities here in Jamaica, in real estate and construction and manufacturing and several of those areas.
“We have to activate the bilateral services agreement between us. It’s currently before our parliaments and we’ll fast track it so that it becomes operational so that either national carriers between Jamaica and Ghana or third party carriers can fly direct flights from Accra to Montego Bay.”
For his part, Prime Minister Holness said the two countries stand together on either side of the Atlantic for the dignity, justice, and historical truth that the Jamaican National Hero, Marcus Garvey “so forcefully championed.
“Mr. President, your visit solidifies the long-standing diplomatic relationship between our two countries. It builds on several high-level engagements at the bilateral level between our two foreign ministers, which have resulted in the signing of an agreement for the recruitment of health professionals from the memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation, as well as the updating of the agreement on arts and culture.”
Holness, who has accepted an invitation to visit Accra when the country observes its 70th anniversary of independence next year, said that the health cooperation agreement is already reaping benefits with the anticipated arrivals of nurses to support Jamaica’s health care system.
“We expect to expand our relations to include deepened cooperation in health, education, tourism, and air services, the parameters of which we discussed extensively today,” Holness said, adding he is “particularly pleased of the discussions as it relates to air services agreements, the expansion of tourism, and indeed I’m hopeful that in the very near future we could see direct flights from Accra to Montego Bay”.
Holness said Jamaica is also seeking to strengthen its commercial and investment ties with Ghana as part of a broader engagement with continental Africa.
He said that the virtual investment and new market ministerial business mission, which was held last month, would have connected many Jamaican companies and companies in Ghana.
“And we are seeing results already in areas of logistics, tourism, hospitality, agri-processing, ICT, FinTech, and the creative industries,” Holness said, adding that he has observed that FinTech are growing services in Ghana.
“Jamaica is also expanding our ports and logistics operation to be the gateway of the Caribbean and Latin America,” he said, adding that by potentially connecting the ports “we could give exporters and investors on both sides of the Atlantic a more efficient route to new markets.
“We can make it easier for our Ghanaian exporter to reach the Caribbean and the Americas, and easier for a Jamaican exporter to reach Africa, particularly in the context of the African continental free trade area. “
During his statement, Holness expressed thanks to Ghana following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa last October.
“Jamaica has shown remarkable resilience in the face of that disaster, but that was strengthened by the friendship of our international partners. Ghana’s humanitarian assistance, together with the invaluable contribution of the Ghana Army Corps of Engineers, has played a meaningful role in our recovery….”
“Mr. President, on behalf of the people of Jamaica, and particularly the people of St. Elizabeth, particularly those communities that had their roofs restored, we say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. “
