Jamaica to Tighten Bonds with Spain

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has committed Jamaica to deepening relations with Spain as part of an expanded cooperation between the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and that European nation.

Addressing an exchange between Caricom Heads of Government and Prime Minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy Brey on Wednesday as part of the 35th Meeting of Caricom Heads, Simpson Miller noted that Spain had made significant contributions to Jamaica's economy, particularly through investments in tourism.

She also pointed to Spain's significant support for Jamaica's health sector, having contributed towards the refurbishment of the Spanish Town Hospital and the setting up of the Queen Sofia Crisis Centre as well as the King of Spain wing at that medical facility.

"I must also mention the investments in health tourism by Grupo Hospiten International, which operates the MoBay Hope Medical Centre — a state-of-the-art medical facility offering care to our residents and visitors in western Jamaica," Prime Minister Simpson Miller said.

She added that the role of the Spanish in promoting health tourism in Jamaica was ongoing and that the Government of Jamaica was pleased to welcome the 16-room, 28-bed, US$20-million investment by the Hospiten Group. Construction of the medical facility is expected to be completed within one year.

The investment will create 300 jobs and Hospiten will also establish 11 nursing stations in hotels on Jamaica's North Coast as well as clinics at the Falmouth and Ocho Rios cruise ship piers.

In addressing the issue of the strong relations between Caricom and Spain, Simpson Miller noted with satisfaction the conclusion of the recent Caricom-Spain Joint Commission meeting in Georgetown, Guyana on May 19 to promote projects under the Caricom-Spain Scientific and Technical Cooperation Agreement.

Source: The Jamaica Observer