Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has sought to
reassure members of the international business community that the
fallout from the impending divestment of Air Jamaica is anticipated to
be minimal.
“We have been taking steps to ensure
that other United States (US) carriers are increasing their rotations
to Jamaica,” Bartlett said.
“The sale of Air Jamaica is not expected to leave existing gateways without service, as Caribbean Airlines will provide the necessary continuity.”
The minister, who was addressing a Canada-Jamaica Business
Council Luncheon and Table Top Mini Expo at Rose Hall Resort and Spa in
Montego Bay, St James, said the cost of the national airline to the
Government is unsustainable.
He said that financials as at the end of June 2009 showed an accumulated deficit of US$1.4 billion.
“Our
objective is to ensure that there is adequate coverage of the gateways
that are important to our tourism,” Bartlett added. “We have been
successful in attracting 12 new gateways during the past 12 months, and
there is every indication that more carriers will be flying to Jamaica.”
Bartlett
credited the growth in Canadian visitors for the increase in arrivals
to Jamaica. Statistics indicate that total stopovers from Canada
increased by 22.9 per cent from 236,193 in 2008, to 290,307 last year.
While
Jamaica and Canada have had long-standing business ties, Canadian High
Commissioner to Jamaica Stephen C. Hallihan said his country was
actively negotiating a bilateral trade and investment treaty with
CARICOM.
“Our foreign policy currently identifies Afghanistan,
the engagement of emerging nations, such as China and India, and our
role in the Americas and the Caribbean as our three overarching
priorities,” Hallihan said in his remarks.
“In this regard,
our engagement with CARICOM, as official government policy, is now
focused on democratic governance, regional security and mutual
prosperity.”
One challenge
Hallihan
said the second round of discussion between Canada and CARICOM would
continue in September, following on negotiations that were held last
November in Barbados.
“One challenge might be dealing with
CARICOM’s preference to have a development assistance component
included in the treaty,” he outlined.
“Another issue may be
the reluctance of some states to accept Canada’s proposal that side
agreements be included on environmental security and labour rights that
would require all parties
to enforce commitments that have already been agreed to in international discussions.”
