UK High Commissioner Calls for Trade and Education Ties Between Jamaica and City of Manchester

High Commissioner to London, Gail Mathurin, has called for the development of trade, education and cultural ties between Jamaica and the city of Manchester in England. Ms. Mathurin made the call during recent meetings with representatives of Manchester, when she visited Jamaican communities in the northern city.

During her visit, she paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor James Ashley and also met with the Deputy Leader of the Council, Val Stephens, who has responsibility for international affairs. In wide-ranging discussions with the city representatives, Ms. Mathurin suggested ways in which Manchester and Jamaica could develop ties that were mutually beneficial, including working through community groups such as the Jamaica Society Manchester.

She also spoke about the opportunities to be derived from the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, which came into effect at the end of January. The High Commissioner also met with the Chief Constable for Greater Manchester, Mike Todd and visited the Cariocca Business Park, which was developed by Manchester’s Afro Caribbean community.

During a public meeting at the African Caribbean Social Club, the High Commissioner said that her visit to Manchester came at a very interesting time in Jamaica’s history. “A month ago, we saw the installation of a new Governor General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Professor Kenneth Hall and on March 30, we will see the swearing in of Jamaica’s first female Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller.

“This is also a very interesting and historic period for the Jamaican community in the UK, as in just a few weeks, the first conference of Jamaicans in the United Kingdom will take place, organised by the Jamaica Diaspora UK and set for West Bromwich in the Midlands,” she pointed out.

High Commissioner Mathurin said she was particularly pleased about the conference, as it was a very positive development in the history of Jamaicans in the UK. “For more than half a Century, Jamaicans have been dedicated, hard-working, loyal citizens and residents of the United Kingdom and you have been loyal and dedicated to your homeland as well.

“As I travel around the UK, I have been greatly impressed by the work of Jamaican organizations, groups and individuals. The conference, which will bring together Jamaicans from all across the country, is an ideal opportunity for us to share our experiences and to look at how we can work together to maximise these efforts,” she added.

Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, Dennis Morris, who also spoke at the public meeting, gave an update of the infrastructure developments now underway in Jamaica, and also highlighted the opportunities for business and investment on the island, particularly in tourism.

Jamaica Among Top 10 Wedding Destinations

Jamaica has been listed among the 10 overseas destinations for Britons who marry abroad. The country has been ranked with Mauritius, Las Vegas (USA), Antigua and the Republic of Ireland, just below South Africa and St. Lucia, and above the Greek islands, Hawaii and Barbados.

According to a survey by a British home insurance company, almost one in four British couples who got married in the last two years headed out of the country to get married, spending £1.8 billion in the process. The figure suggested a sharp increase over the five years from 1996 to 2001, when just nine per cent of couples married abroad. Jamaica has also been ranked high as a honeymoon destination.

Weddings have, over the years, become an important aspect of the tourism product. Jamaica Tourist Board figures show consistent growth in this area, with more than 10,000 tourists getting married in Jamaica in 2002. According to the survey, two out of five Britons who travelled overseas to get married said they wanted to merge their wedding and honeymoon into one decent holiday; a third wanted a guarantee of good weather on the big day; and more than a quarter admitted they had fled to escape relatives.