Jamaican leader wooing US investors
Jamaican PM vows to corporate America to make investing in her country hassle free.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Thursday, May 3, 2012 – Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has taken on a personal goal of driving more inward investment from the United States to Jamaica.
Simpson Miller recently assured 200 members of the Philadelphia business community that she would do everything possible to make investing in Jamaica a hassle free process.
Speaking at a reception in her honor at the upscale Pyramid Club in downtown Philadelphia recently, Simpson Miller said she was determined to attract more overseas investments to Jamaica. However to do so, she would have to find ways of removing the red tape so that Jamaica could benefit from the investments that many foreign entities and members of the Diaspora would like to make in the country.
“The investments that many of you here have started in Jamaica might be incomplete because of the difficulties you have experienced in doing business in the country. As Prime Minister, I’m here to let you know that I will do everything in my power to ensure that your investment desires will materialize”.
The Jamaican leader pointed out that one of the on-going objectives of the government at this time is to help to increase the level of employment in the country through the creation of jobs from foreign investments.
Simpson Miller was presented with the city of Philadelphia’s highest award, “The Liberty Bell”, by chairman of the Mayor’s commission on African and Caribbean Immigration Affairs, Stanley Straughter. He pointed out that the award was being presented by the city in recognition of her status as the first woman to be elected Prime Minister of Jamaica and also because of the recent recognition given to her as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
Simpson Miller, who is also the Minister of Sports, was on a two-day official visit to the city of Philadelphia. While there she paid tribute to chief executive officer of Team Jamaica Bickle, Irwin Claire and chief executive officer of Caribbean Food Delight, Vincent HoSang for their outstanding support and contributions to the Jamaican athletes who represent the country at the annual Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“The contributions of your organizations in providing support of meals, transportation, lodging, medical services among others, to our athletes on a yearly basis, are worthy of the highest commendation. On behalf of my government, the athletes and people of Jamaica, I want to commend you both,” she told them.
Simpson Miller said the support and assistance given by these two organizations allowed Jamaican athletes to perform at their highest levels at the prestigious Penn Relays since they could relax and not worry about transportation, lodging, meals or medical services.
On Saturday, April 28, 2012, the final day of the Penn Relays, the organization saluted Jamaica on its 50th year of independence anniversary where Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was the special guest.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister of Tourism Wykeham McNeil, Jamaica's Consul General to New York Herman G LaMont and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, Delano Franklyn. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)