Indian Arrival in Jamaica

THE GLEANER, FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | A4 Desktop Solutions Limited 19 Red Hills Road, Suite # 3 (Entrance On Westminster Road), Kingston 10 Email: info@desktopsolutionsltd.com 876-332-9304 / 876 321-1650/876 845-7804 INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY FEATURE 4 M ORE THAN 36,000 Indians that landed in Jamaica as indentured labour between 1845-1917 have added a common cultural bond to our multifaceted relationship. The present Indian diaspora of about 70,000 is proud of its Indian origins and has retained an abiding interest in Indian culture, music, dance and history. They have assimilated well, fondly described as ‘genetically embedded and integrated in the Jamaican society’, and their contribution to the Jamaican economic and social development has been acknowledged and appreciated by one and all. The Indian diaspora has further brought another group of expatriate Indian workers to work in their establishments. There is also a small floating and expanding group of expatriate skilled Indian professionals such as doctors, professors, chartered accountants, auditors, nurses, etc, who provide professional and specialist services of a high order and are much respected. Some Indian academicians teach at the prestigious UWI and the UTech. Many Indian doctors are also attached to the Jamaican government hospitals while others practise privately. BILATERAL RELATIONS India and Jamaica have traditionally enjoyed cordial relations based on democratic values, common linkages of history, parliamentary democratic system, membership of the Commonwealth, use of English language and the love of cricket. Both being developing countries, they share similar concerns and common aspirations for accelerated economic growth, eradication of poverty, improvement in the quality of life of their people and promotion of equity. Convergence of views on various important contemporary issues, shared concerns and aspirations as developing countries and excellent cooperation at various multilateral fora has largely shaped the bilateral relations. Former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had visited Kingston in 1975, followed by PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999 for a multilateral meeting. Jamaica’s PrimeMinister Edward Seaga also visited India in 1983 for the 7th Non-Aligned Movement Conference. Besides these, there have been many ministerial level visits from either side, including ForeignMinister Senator Kamina Smith’s visit to New Delhi in 2017. PM Modi and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness have also met many times on the sidelines of various multilateral fora in the last few years. PM Holness was one of the select speakers during the event organised by India at UNHeadquarters on 25th September 2019 to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. TRADE AND COMMERCE Bilateral trade, economic and commercial interactions between the countries are growing despite the constraint of distance. Cooperation in the service sector, especially in information technology, software and education sectors, has been on the rise with many Indian BPO, software and other service-sector entities having a presence in Jamaica. Both countries are pushing for establishing closer cooperation between educational and IT sectors in order to make Jamaica a part of the global knowledge highway that will significantly boost the economy. Jamaica has also joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA), headquartered in India, and both countries are looking at ways of cooperating closely on clean energy projects. With the appointment of a resident Jamaican High Commissioner in India, it is expected that commercial interactions will receive a further boost. EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COOPERATION Jamaicans have been going to India for training and capacity building programmes under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) initiative. Besides, some Indian athletes are also training in the Jamaican universities of UWI and UTech that house the best track and field clubs in the entire world. In Jamaica, there is a lot of interest in India’s culture, religion, performing arts and philosophy. Similarly, Jamaican music and festivities are well known across India. Indian cinema and television shows are popular among Jamaicans. Bollywood movies and some Indian television shows are also telecast and enjoy huge popularity in Jamaica. An Indian professor of philosophy is also teaching Indian philosophy and culture at the UWI under an agreement between the governments. COVID-19 COOPERATION During the COVID-19 pandemic, India has demonstrated that its friendship with Jamaica is deep and abiding. India gifted 50,000 ‘Made in India’ COVID vaccine doses to Jamaica on 8th March, 2021 in order to kick-start its vaccination drive. India also provided more than J$13.5 million worth of essential medicine and medical equipment to help Jamaica combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indian doctors and pharmaceutical companies in Jamaica also came together on 31st January, 2021 to organise 13 simultaneous medical camps across nine parishes and serviced more than 1,400 Jamaicans with free medical tests, free consultation and medicines. During the pandemic, the Indian community in Jamaica has also been providing grocery, medicines and other essential items to the communities most affected by the COVID pandemic. On the completion of 175 years of the Indian community in Jamaica, I wish to thank the people and the Government of Jamaica for accepting the Indians as their own and for taking care of them over the years. To the Indian community in Jamaica, I would like to say, India remembers you, India misses you, and India is proud of you for your achievements and for being such good ambassadors abroad. HER Masakui is the High Commissioner of India to Jamaica. Comments may be sent to cons.kingston@ mea.gov.in HE Rungsung Masakui AN OVERVIEW INDIA IN JAMAICA India and Jamaica have traditionally enjoyed cordial relations based on democratic values, common linkages of history, parliamentary democratic system, membership of the Commonwealth, use of English language and the love of cricket. Both being developing countries, they share similar concerns and common aspirations for accelerated economic growth, eradication of poverty, improvement in the quality of life of their people and promotion of equity.