Closer ties between Jamaica and Dominican Republic

Collaboration on tourism, trade and sports will be in focus as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica forge closer ties.

Culture, and education are also in the spotlight, with officials hoping that any benefits will also help the wider region and create opportunities for employment and in both countries.

Jamanica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, and Danilo Medina Sanchez, president of the Dominican Republic, met in Kingston last week to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues.

Both countries have similar goals, said Holness, which could be facilitated through cooperation and strengthening of alliances.

Tourism was one particular area that was highlighted highlighted.

“We both agreed that the tourism sector has [grown] considerably in Latin America, and especially in the Caribbean,” said the prime minister of Jamaica.

“For this reason, the time has come to join forces, so that the fruits of this growth are distributed more and more in a fair and sustainable way among Caribbean people as a whole.”

It is expected that the two nations will sign a memorandum of understanding to promote multi-destination tourism, and a new air services agreement will sit alongside it.

Sánchez said the time has come to launch “a new era of win-win cooperation to take tangible benefits to our people in a just and solitary manner.

“We are two nations that, unfortunately, face vulnerability caused by climate change, and in which large sections of the populations still live in poverty vulnerability”.

“But, we are also two countries with very promising economies, with developments that present the opportunities to overcome these challenges and take care of the needs of our people.”