PJ Patterson makes first visit

Honourable Percival James
Patterson, Prime Minister of
Jamaica

Wednesday,  July 26, 2005

Prime Minister of Jamaica, Percival James Patterson, will visit the Cayman Islands for the first time on 22 September. The invitation to visit was extended to Mr Patterson by the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce (CICC).

The visit to the Cayman Islands is Mr Patterson’s first as Prime Minister of Jamaica – an office he has held for thirteen years.

CICC’s invitation to Mr Patterson was made in relation to the Chamber’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebrations. Mr Patterson is slated to be the official guest speaker at CICC’s 40th Anniversary main event on 24 September.

CICC’s President, Joey Hew explained, “The Chamber invited Mr Patterson for this special occasion on some clear premises. He is the leader of the largest English-speaking country in the Caribbean, he is known as a dynamic speaker and he has held many positions throughout CARICOM and other organizations.

“We have given Mr Patterson a wide range of topics to speak on, including the challenges and obstacles facing the region over the last decade in relation to trade. As well, we hope he will address areas such as opening doors to better relations with Caribbean partners.”

Mr Hew said that Mr Patterson’s invitation has been met with some amount of controversy in some quarters. He said this against the background that, for a long time, some Jamaicans in Cayman who fled the island in the 1970’s, preferred not to have Mr Patterson - the former Deputy Prime Minister in the Michael Manley socialist government of the 1970’s - here.

“The Chamber is not a political organization and Mr Patterson’s invitation has nothing to do with political solidarity but rather, with the fact that Mr Patterson is well informed on issues to do with commerce and CARICOM trade.

“It’s time that we realise that we can’t expect to fight the big guys by ourselves and we need to understand fully our options in relation to CARICOM.

“The fact is that the anniversary dinner has been very well accepted and a large number of tables have already been bought. In addition, sponsors have stepped up to the plate with tremendous support,” Mr Hew added.

Honorary Consul for Jamaica in Cayman, Robert Hamaty, explained, “Mr Patterson is one of the leading Caribbean figures as far as CARICOM is concerned. For a grouping such as the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, matters concerning trade and others related to the future of the Caribbean are significant. As such we feel Mr Patterson’s address to the group, and his visit to the Islands, will be extremely useful. It will certainly help to inform different sectors here on facts related to the Caribbean Community.”

The CICC anniversary celebration, which will be held at the newly refurbished Marriott Resort ballroom, is to include a reflection on CICC’s past accomplishments. Businesses that have supported the Chamber for many years will be recognised. The event will also be used to raise money to help rebuild the lives of many persons impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Ivan almost a year ago.

Mr Hamaty said, “Jamaica and the Cayman Islands have a long history of working fruitfully together. Many of our leaders in society here were educated in Jamaica and many of Cayman’s chief officers in the legal and other fields have come from Jamaica.

“The Jamaican Consular Office joins with the Chamber in welcoming Mr Patterson to Cayman later this year.”

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