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| Prime Minister Bruce Golding (left) speaking to journalists after his return from a three-day official visit to Cuba. Beside him is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr. Ken Baugh, who was one of five Ministers who accompanied him on the trip. (Photo compliments Jamaica Information Service) | |
KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 8, 2008 - Jamaica and Cuba have reached a framework agreement that will see the two countries move from tourism competitors to partners in the sector.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding who returned from a three-day visit to Cuba on Wednesday, reported that on tourism, an agreement had been reached proposing that both countries collaborate in terms of undertaking "multiple destination promotion", which would see Cuba as a destination that could complement Jamaica, rather than as a competitor.
"We feel that it is something that can help to enhance our own tourism product, if we are marketing, not just a holiday in Jamaica but a holiday in Cuba as well," he said.
The framework agreement on tourism was one of five signed during Mr Golding's trip.
He reported that the two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, housing, water and health.
"We signed five frameworks of understanding, which will require follow-up work on both sides, and there is going to be some intensive interaction between officials on both sides to hammer out the details of those areas of co-operation," the Prime Minister said.
On agriculture, Mr Golding said that discussions between Agriculture Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton and his Cuban counterpart had yielded a Memorandum of Understanding, which is expected to be the catalyst for Cuba providing technical assistance to Jamaica.
"I went and looked at some of their agricultural projects that we hope to replicate in Jamaica, and we had discussions with them about significant levels of technical assistance that Cuba is making arrangements to provide," Mr Golding said, singling out greenhouse technology as one such area.
For water and housing, he revealed that two Memoranda of Agreement were negotiated: one to undertake and establish a framework for water resource management, and the other for the provision of shelter.
"They (Cuba) have a similar problem with a large number of squatter settlements where people just occupy land without proper planning, without proper roads, and infrastructure and we are going to be collaborating with them to see how best we can assist each other in that regard," he explained.
Regarding health, Mr Golding noted that both countries have had "very intense co-operation" in this area, in terms of the provision of personnel locally and through the eye care programme, which has seen Jamaicans going to Cuba for treatment. Against this background, he advised that the government was seeking to expand that programme into other areas of activity relating to the provision of health care.
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