Spanish Investors to Visit Jamaica this Month

A delegation comprising private sector leaders from Spain will visit the island this month to examine investment prospects.
Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, who made the announcement during her contribution to the 2007/08 Budget Debate in Parliament yesterday (May 2) noted that during her visit to Spain earlier this year, she was given the honour of addressing the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, where she promoted Jamaica as a welcoming investment destination.
It is as a result of this visit, she said, that the delegation will visit the island to examine the possibility of investing in sectors other than tourism.
The Prime Minister told the House that while in Spain, she toured the Real Madrid football club, and discussed the club’s interest in developing a football academy in Jamaica. “The plan is for this academy to become part of the real Madrid football academy football network. It is to benefit youth from inner-city communities. We would wish for this to be established on the north coast of Jamaica,” the Prime Minister further informed.
Outlining the other benefits that the country has derived from her trips overseas, the Prime Minister noted that the Jamaican government was successful in securing a US$100 million line of credit from Brazil, which will provide financing for the sugar industry.In addition, she informed that the Prime Minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt has committed additional technical assistance in the area of transportation and energy.
Mrs. Simpson Miller noted further that while in Europe, she addressed the protocollary session of the committee of more than 200 ambassadors and officials of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group on issues pertaining to trade and the impact of globalization on developing countries.
“Jamaica has to be an active player on the international scene. In this global community, many important decisions affecting the lives of people in Jamaica are made external to the country, and we have to be there to influence the outcomes of these decisions,” she stated.
Continuing, the Prime Minister pointed out that foreign affairs was not only about travelling overseas, as during the course of the year, she has hosted four Heads of State as well as several ministers and high ranking officials of international organizations and multilateral agencies.
“This is in addition to hosting several colleague Prime Ministers from the region. Emerging out of these meetings, several critical bi-lateral agreements have been formalized,” she informed.
Mrs. Simpson Miller also told the House that she has responded to an invitation extended by the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to address the plenary session of the organization’s annual international labour conference in June.
“This conference brings together representatives of governments, employers and trade unions from over 170 countries. Naturally on behalf of the people of Jamaica, I have accepted,” she said.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation to the resident and non-resident ambassadors, high commissioners and members of the entire diplomatic corps for their support and attention to the relationship between Jamaica and their countries.