By NAN STAFF WRITER
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, WEDS. Mar. 30, 2022: Caribbean American Vice President Kamala Harris is set to meet with the prime minister of her father’s country of birth, Jamaica, today at the White House, the Miami Herald reported.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness is the second Caribbean leader to visit Harris in Washington, coming on the heels of Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Mottley’s meeting with Harris last year.
Holness will be the first Jamaican leader to visit the White House since a 1995 working visit by former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
McClatchy quoted as senior Biden administration official as saying that Holness’ visit will “underscore the importance” of the relationship with Jamaica and the region to the Biden administration.
Discussion will reportedly focus on “the COVID-19 pandemic, economic growth and recovery, and climate and energy security, among other issues.”
“The U.S.-Jamaica partnership is based on deep economic and people-to-people ties and shared interests in our Hemisphere. The vice president is looking forward to strengthening this partnership during this visit and in the months and years ahead,” the U.S. official said in a statement.
Harris’ father Donald Harris was born in the Caribbean nation, and Harris has said her family has “immense pride” in their Jamaican heritage.
Invest Caribbean’s Felicia J. Persaud, joined many Caribbean leaders, including Holness, in celebrating her ascent to vice president at a virtual inauguration event last year. Both Holness and Harris participated. At the time, Persaud urged Harris to make the Caribbean a priority, unlike other administrations.
Harris met last year with Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. The meeting with Holness is her second foreign leader engagement of the week.
Holness will also have discussions with the Diaspora and is expected to return to the island on April 3, 2022.
Former President Barack Obama was the last U.S. leader to visit Jamaica for a meeting with Caribbean Community leaders in 2015.
