Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
THE GOVERNMENTS of Jamaica and Ghana signed a multi-pronged pact aimed at improving various sectors in their countries, at the end of a two-day Jamaica-Ghana Joint Commission at the Hilton Kingston Hotel on Thursday.
Under the agreement, experts from both nations will share their knowledge in the areas of health, tourism and child welfare.
Foreign Affairs Minister, K.D. Knight, and his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akufo-Addo sealed the cooperation by signing the 17-page document.
One of the main objectives of the 'commission' is improving the welfare of women and children. Jamaica will share how it developed its Domestic Violence Act (passed in 1995) with the Ghanaian government which is in the process of developing its own bill.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Ghana, in turn, will offer similar assistance to Jamaica in the controversial area of human trafficking. Early this year, the United States State Department said Jamaica was a port for the trafficking of human cargo including children.
Another critical issue is the eradication of poverty. Jamaica has offered to assist Ghana in establishing a mechanism which would evaluate the impact of that country's poverty alleviation programmes. Both countries will also discuss ways to resettle and integrate street children into a 'normal productive' life.
In the area of health, Jamaica will send nurses to Ghana, where they will receive specialised training in areas including ear, nose and throat treatment and ophthalmic care. In turn, Ghanaian nurses will benefit from training in paediatric
nursing as well as procedures in accidents and emergencies at the University Hospital of the West Indies.
