Valued
Partners: The Bahamas and Jamaica
by Hon. David Kilgour, Secretary of State
(Latin America and Africa)
for Share Newspaper January 25, 2000
This past
week I had the opportunity to advance Canada’s
relations with two countries that are our
long time friends, Jamaica and the Bahamas,
and to exchange views with Ministers there
on a wide range of important hemispheric
and bilateral issues.
Canada will
be hosting two major hemispheric events
in the coming months: the General Assembly
of the Organization of American States in
Windsor in June, and the Summit of the Americas,
which will bring together the leaders of
the Americas in Quebec City next year. In
preparation for these meetings, Minister
Axworthy and I are consulting closely with
Caribbean and Latin American countries on
current hemispheric issues related to human
security, economic and trade development,
and hemispheric institutions, and seeking
their input for these meetings.
In the Bahamas,
I met with Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham
and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Attorney
General Janet Bostwick, and in Jamaica with
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister
Seymour Mullings and other Ministers. Both
Ministers Bostwick and Mullings had been
unable to attend the January 7 CARICOM Ministers’
meeting with Minister Axworthy in Trinidad,
and I used this opportunity to brief them
on that meeting and follow up with them
on it. As Jamaica took its seat on the UN
Security Council on January 1, my discussions
there also focussed on Security Council
issues where Canada and Jamaica expect to
work closely together. We also discussed
next steps for the WTO following Seattle,
and CARICOM’s position on the proposed
new Round of world trade negotiations.
In the Bahamas
and Jamaica, I also reviewed with the Ministers
Canada’s relations with their countries.
In general, relations are very positive,
supported by strong people-to-people ties.
The Commonwealth Caribbean countries, including
Jamaica and the Bahamas, benefit from Canada’s
1986 CARIBCAN preferential trade program.
Over 95% of Commonwealth Caribbean exports
enter Canada free of duty. Trade and economic
linkages between Canada and the Bahamas
are important, and in terms of two-way trade
flows, nearly equal. In 1998 (the latest
year for which we have final figures), Canada
exported $24.5 million of goods to the Bahamas,
mainly dairy products, telephone equipment,
furniture and office machinery, while the
Bahamas’ exports to Canada totalled
some $22 million, mainly mineral oils, fish
and seafood, plastics and organic chemicals.
Canada is also heavily involved in the Bahamas’
important financial and tourism sectors.
Most of Canada’s major banks have branches
there, and Canadians are both investors
in the Bahamas tourism industry and frequent
visitors, with approximately 80,000 Canadians
travelling there each year. Canadian companies
also expect to be involved in the anticipated
privatization of telecommunication and airport
systems in the Bahamas.
One of the
highlights of my visit to Jamaica was meeting
over 100 Jamaican business people at the
"Doing Business with Canada" seminar
organized by our High Commission there.
The wealth of opportunities that exists
to expand the trading relations between
Canada and Jamaica is quite exciting. Seminar
participants were given hands-on information
to assist them in accessing the Canadian
market; officials from the Alliance of Manufacturers
and Exporters Canada, the Trade Facilitation
Office Canada and our Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade made presentations
which elaborated on many of my remarks in
the opening address.
In 1998,
Canadian exports to Jamaica were valued
at $98 million and included salted cod,
newsprint and telecommunications equipment.
On the other side, imports to Canada from
Jamaica totalled $256 million and, while
dominated by alumina (85%), also included
rum and fruits and vegetables. Canada is
also heavily involved in Jamaica’s
resource sector, with ALCAN’s large
presence there, and in its financial and
tourism industries. While the balance of
trade is strongly in Jamaica’s favour,
the potential exists for both countries
to expand on these successes and open doors
that will allow for more trade and investment
opportunities in the future. Worldwide,
Canada enjoys a reputation as a leader in
many fields. Our products and services are
world-class and cost competitive. Other
countries have come to expect the highest
level of quality and service from Canadian
companies -- and we deliver. Goods are not
all we exchange; Jamaica’s vibrant
culture is known world-wide, and I also
discussed with Ministers there the possibilities
for more cultural exchanges between our
countries.
As a whole,
CARICOM’s member countries are very
important to Canada as a valued source of
opinion and support, with important perspectives
to offer on all the major regional and multilateral
issues. We also value our trade and cultural
relations, and our cooperation on a wide
range of social and development issues.
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