Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
President of Chile, Dr. Michelle Bachelet (left), chats with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (centre) and Opposition Member of Parliament for Central St. Catherine, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange during a photo opportunity at Jamaica House, St. Andrew, yesterday. Bachelet was in Jamaica on a one-day working visit. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
TWO 'SISTERS' of regional politics met for the first time yesterday as President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, and Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced increased ties designed to boost economic development in both countries.
Mrs. Simpson Miller said that the two countries are fast-tracking the development of an air services agreement which would protect the routes of both state-owned airlines, Air Jamaica and Lan Chile. The agreement will also see the use of Donald Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St. James, as a hub for Chilean cargo destined for Europe. The Port of Kingston is being similarly considered.
The two nations have also agreed to waive visas for holders of diplomatic and official passports as well as work on future cooperation on renewable energy against the background of the negative effects of rising fuel costs on both economies. Chile is also to assist Jamaica in the fields of watershed management, forestry research and wood technology.
Spanish and English teachers from both countries are also to benefit from exchanges.
During her comments, Mrs. Simpson Miller said an inspiration to her successful campaign for the presidency of the governing People's National Party (PNP) in February, and consequently leadership of the country, was Dr. Bachelet's own victory in January following that of Angela Merkel of Germany and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Liberia last November; both also the first female leaders of their countries.
SISTERS
"I said to Madam President (Bachelet) that you now know you have a sister in Jamaica and, before my inauguration, I got a call from you," Mrs. Simpson Miller said. "It was a long telephone call between us and I know that both of us then... it just clicked that we were sisters and I am so happy to welcome you here."
Dr. Bachelet added that their being elected as female leaders was a sign of change in the region but and that the two would have to work hard to meet expectations. "Chile and Jamaica should play a significant role in strengthening ties between South American and Caribbean countries," she said.
The leaders were building on a relationship between the two countries that last year saw Jamaica support the election of Chilean Jose Miguel Insulza as General Secretary of the Organisation of American States (OAS). While here Dr. Bachelet also met with representatives of the private sector but was unable to meet with the Governor General Professor Kenneth Hall who was off the island.
Having arrived from Washington D.C. yesterday morning, following a meeting with United States President George W. Bush, Mrs. Bachelet was due to fly to Haiti last night. There she will visit Chilean peacekeepers and present a joint assistance plan from Argentina, Brazil and Chile, whom she called the 'ABC countries', to recently-elected Haitian President Rene Preval.
Her trip will conclude this weekend with a visit to the Dominican Republic.
