A
Message from Isao Otsuka,
Ambassador of Japan to
Jamaica on the occasion
of the Negril Chamber
of Commerce 20th Anniversary
After
formalisation of diplomatic
relations in 1964,
the Government of Japan
established its embassy
in Kingston, Jamaica in
1985 under a charge d'
affaires and then in 1995,
with its first resident
Ambassador. Since then,
the relationship between
Jamaica and Japan has
changed from simply the
government to government
level to include trade
based on market-oriented
economy as well as bilateral
cooperation involving
grassroots organizations
in Jamaica. Japan presently
exports a wide range of
Japanese goods to Jamaica,
like automobiles, while
importing significant
amounts of coffee, rum,
music and tourism from
Jamaica. Many Jamaicans
are, however, unaware
of the level of cooperation
that exists between the
peoples and Governments
of Jamaica and Japan.
Not many know that since
1995 over 45 projects
have been undertaken through
the direct collaboration
of the people of Jamaica
and the Government of
Japan under the Japan's
Official Development Assistance
(ODA) to Jamaica Grant
Assistance for Grassroots
Projects Programme (GGP).
This programme is one
aspect of many points
of collaboration between
Japan and Jamaica. It,
however, represents a
unique programme, being
the only point of direct
interface between the
Government of Japan and
the people of Jamaica.
As
Ambassador, I am indeed
honoured to be associated
with the Negril Chamber
of Commerce as a result
of direct funding to the
organization from the
GGP to establish a recycling
centre in the beautiful
community of Negril. Twenty
(20) years is a long time
for an organization to
be in existence. It is
indicative of the hard
and quality work the organization
has done over the years.
As the Negril Chamber
of Commerce celebrates
its twentieth anniversary,
I salute the chamber as
a viable and important
entity to the Negril community
and wish for the chamber
prosperity in the years
to come.