KINGSTON, Jamaica — Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has expressed confidence in the strength of the relationship between Jamaica and the United States (US) following recent comments made by a US Congressman who warned that Jamaica could face consequences for comments Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness made expressing support for Cuba.
“We took note of the post that was made in social media but we are 100 per cent confident that the broad acceptance and recognition of the prime minister’s statement was that it was balanced, it was visionary, it was realistic, it expressed the complexity of the circumstances of the relationship of Cuba with the region, while recognising our grounded and fundamental beliefs in democracy and freedom and open market as we practice and live here every day, and that the [US] administration broadly recognised it as such,” Johnson Smith said.
She was responding to a reporter’s question at Tuesday’s post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House.
She pointed to a recent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of his delegation which she said was entirely cordial and productive.
“You would see that from comments made by Secretary Rubio himself and therefore there’s really no concern regarding any perhaps misplaced perspective that might be taken by an individual as opposed to a broader recognition of the strong partnership that continues to exist between the US and Jamaica,” Johnson Smith noted.
On February 24, Holness urged Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states to address the humanitarian crisis in Cuba “with clarity and courage” and suggested that wise, skillful and prudent management is needed to resolve the deepening geopolitical conflict between Washington and Havana.
