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Prime Minister Andrew Holness and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has chided some CARICOM countries for seeking to create an artificial divide in the 15 member bloc, with the visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Barbados Prime Minister and CARICOM chairman Mia Mottley and a few other regional leaders have expressed suspicion at the visit, on the basis that not all countries were invited to meet with Mr. Pompeo.
Only six countries and Jamaica will be participating in Wednesday afternoon's round table with the Secretary of State.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr. Pompeo at Jamaica House Wednesday morning, Mr. Holness said Jamaica does not engage in any policy that would divide CARICOM.
However, he said all must respect the sovereignty of countries to determine how they structure their foreign policy.
"When friends ask to be hosted or for us to host them, we're friends and so we do that. We're friends with the United States, so we are happy to host here, not to the exclusion of anyone; and if anyone wanted to attend, they just had to signal. From my perspective, we would have done everything to ensure that they are present," he declared, adding that the wrong conversation had been taking place among CARICOM countries.
He added that CARICOM members must focus on strengthening their relationships with other countries.
"So the conversation should be, how do we get greater engagement? How are we talking more? And my interest is to get Jamaica talking with everyone and to strengthening our relationship, particularly with our largest trading partner, particularly with our largest security partner, particularly because we have over a million US visitors visiting our shores yearly. We have significant economic, social and cultural interest," he insisted.
Mr. Holness said bilateral discussions were held with Mr. Pompeo regarding boosting security cooperation between Jamaica and the United States.
The main focus was on bolstering Jamaica's capacity to counter transnational organised crime, securing the country's borders and ports and interrupting the flow of illicit into Jamaica.
Not the US' intention to divide
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that it is not the intention of his government to divide CARICOM countries.
Secretary Pompeo said the US government is aware that countries in the region will agree with the United States on issues and disagree on others.
Responding to questions at Wednesday morning's media briefing at Jamaica House about the unease that his visit has caused among some CARICOM countries, Mr. Pompeo extended an invitation for dialogue to all the countries.
"We'd welcome them all to participating in all the conversations that we're having about the important issues. The things that matter to the United States of America we think matter to each and every country in the CARICOM and we want to work with them closely to develop security, prosperity, dialogue with them, so that we can all be successful, not divided but together," he said.
"We have conversations, dialogue with every country. We'd welcome that, we want to meet with them all.
OAS vote
Mr. Pompeo denied that the Trump Administration was trying to prevent a unified vote when the 15 member bloc next cast ballots to elect the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS).
However, he noted that the US has already "made very clear" who they think should be the next leader of the OAS.
The United States is touting Luis Almagro for the position. According to Mr. Pompeo, he has "demonstrated his ability to return financial stability to the institution and return this institution to a really important place for all member states of the OAS."