Ravi assures help to Jamaica in different fields

New Delhi, June 8 (UNI) Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi today assured India's full cooperation and support to Jamaica in the fields of Information Technology, manpower training and educational and cultural exchanges, under the framework of cultural agreement signed by the two countries.

He was discussing the bilateral relations with Jamaican Foreign Minister Antony Hylton during his visit to Jamaica.

Mr Ravi called on Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and discussed the matters of mutual interest. Ms Miller expressed her desire to visit India.

Later addressing the members of the Indian Cultural Community, a nodal body promoting the diversity of Indian culture in Jamaica, he said his ministry was alive to the cultural needs of the overseas Indian Communities and assured the organization that their hands would be further strengthened.

He also attended a reception hosted by the High Commissioner, where, he interacted with cross section of the Indian community.

The Minister called upon them to integrate further while maintaining their cultural and ancestral link with India. Before arriving Jamaica, Mr Ravi also visited Curacao, the capital of Netherlands Antilles.

In Curacao, he called on the Prime Minister of Netherlands Antilles, Emily de Jongh-Elhage. During the meeting, the Prime Minister deeply appreciated the contribution made by the Indian community for the economic development of the island and called upon the Minister to facilitate greater business and trade interaction with India.

In his reply, Mr Ravi said India was an emerging global economic and knowledge power country.

While drawing the Prime Minister's attention to the recent fires, which had taken place in the FTZ affecting interest of the Indian businessmen, he requested expeditious handling of the matter.

He also took up the issue of general delay in visas and complicated procedure for obtaining visas for visiting Aruba and St Martin, all three being part of the Netherlands Antilles.

The Minister's visit to the Caribbean region, which included three larger countries Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and Jamaica and two smaller nations St Vincent and Grenadines (SVG) and Curacao (Netherlands Antilles), gave a significant exposure to the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in understanding the needs and concerns of this important concentration of the diaspora, a Spokesman of the ministry said here today.

UNI