US Interested in Country – Foreign Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. A. J. Nicholson, says the visit by the United States (US) President, Barack Obama, demonstrates that the US is taking an interest in what is happening in Jamaica.

President Obama is expected to visit Jamaica from April 8 to 9 while on his way to the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Panama.

“It means a lot when a President of the United States visits a Third World country. It means a lot to us, not only because the media focus will be on Jamaica, but it also means that the President and the Government of the United States of America is taking an interest in what is taking place in Jamaica. Now, that is something you cannot pay for,” he said.

The Minister was speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’, held on April 2 at the agency’s head office in Kingston.

The discussions also focused on the 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference scheduled to take place at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from June 13 to18, 2015, under the theme: ‘Jamaica and the Diaspora Linking for Growth and Prosperity’.

Senator Nicholson said that Jamaica’s progress within international circles over the past few years has led to the President’s visit.

“Make no bones about it, one of the reasons that President Obama is coming to Jamaica is because of Jamaica’s improvement within international circles for the past few years. There is no question about that,” he argued.

The Minister said it is his hope that the visit will foster greater collaboration between the two countries.