Less than a week after nations throughout the Caribbean and their Diasporas worldwide celebrated the anniversary of Emancipation Day, Jamaica enjoyed the bonus of celebrating its 51st Independence anniversary on August 6.
United States Secretary of State John Kerry congratulated Jamaica, saying the US is proud to call Jamaica a partner and friend.
In a statement on behalf of President Barack Obama and the people of the United States, Kerry said ‘Out of Many, One People’ was a reminder of the strong unity Jamaica has maintained since its independence. He said the United States shared the belief in the strength of many people coming together for the betterment of society.
Kerry said Jamaica and the United States are working to “foster inclusive economic growth and expand social justice through initiatives, such as the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, including the recently implemented “No Witness, No Justice” Civic Education and Social Media programme”.
In addition, the US secretary of state said the two countries are “deepening” their partnership for healthier communities, through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the US Stephen Vasciannie said the island still has many challenges to overcome.
In his Independence message to nationals in the Diaspora, Vasciannie said Jamaica “needs to develop its capacity not only to resist external economic shocks but also to tackle fully the serious problem of public indebtedness.
“The State must also enhance its ability to generate self-sustaining growth, even as efforts are made to ensure greater fairness and equity in the economic sphere,” he said.
He said the Portia Simpson Miller Government this year completed arrangements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other multilateral financial institutions “that are intended to lend stability to the Jamaican economy.
“The arrangements with the Fund, when coupled with aspects of the Government’s growth agenda, should help Jamaica to reduce some of its economic challenges in the near and medium term,” the ambassador said.
For these challenges to be fully overcome, however, Vasciannie said the country will need to “redouble its commitment to greater productivity and increased efficiency.
“In the drive for economic and social development, Jamaica will continue to benefit from the substantial contribution of persons in the diaspora who look to the homeland for emotional and cultural sustenance,” he said.
Jamaica was the first British colony in the English speaking Caribbean to gain political independence.
