Foreign Minister Presents Certificates of Citizenship

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, was the special guest at last Saturday’s (December 3) Citizenship Ceremony, hosted by the Jamaican High Commission, in London.

The Minister, who addressed the function and presented Certificates of Citizenship, commended the new Jamaican citizens for their decision to take advantage of the opportunity to hold dual nationality.

“As citizens of Jamaica, you can take advantage of various benefits, including acquisition of a Jamaican passport, working without a work permit, and gaining access to government programmes, such as low-interest-rate National Housing Trust (NHT) loans to purchase homes in Jamaica,” she explained.

Senator Johnson Smith noted the many positive attributes and impact of Jamaicans all over the world in fields such as medicine, education, entrepreneurship, music and sport.

She encouraged the new citizens to be proud of Jamaica, highlighting that the country is home to world-famous Blue Mountain coffee, reggae music, and food, and the fastest man and woman on earth.

The Minister also informed the audience on some of the Government’s plans for a prosperous Jamaica through the path of economic growth and job creation.

Director, Victoria Mutual Building Society, UK Office, Mrs. Delores Cooper, sponsor of the citizenship ceremony over the years, noted that participation in the event provided an opportunity for the organisation to demonstrate its commitment to improving the quality of life of Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora.

The ceremony was the fourth to be held for 2016 and saw the ceremonial presentation of citizenship certificates to 21 men, women and children.