Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, P.J. Patterson wants to see fewer restrictions in the process of travelling between the Caribbean and Africa.
Mr. Patterson was speaking at Thursday’s Africa-CARICOM Day public forum titled ‘Unity Across Continents and Oceans’ at at the University of the West Indies’ Regional Headquarters in St Andrew.
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Mr. Patterson believes ease of travel between the two regions can help foster a symbiotic relationship.
We must reduce, and where feasible, remove visa requirements and all barriers in the customs halls to facilitate easy travel as our heads envisage. It’s a new brand of tourism that encourages cultural festivals, competitive sports, student exchanges. Our aim is to promote a truly symbiotic relationship.
Patterson noted, adding that there is a desire to get to know and embrace one another.
“The relationships we seek to restore and strengthen are akin to a great and grand family union. We in the Caribbean need to see from where we came, and our African uncles and aunts need to visit where their nephews and nieces now dwell.
Patterson addressed the issues of intra-regional travel within the Caribbean, said that the current circumstances surrounding this topic were “mind-boggling”. He explained that the situation of travel within the region was “worse than it has ever been” and said that the current travel crises of CARICOM nations having to travel through the American state of Miami was “offensive”.
Despite the travel situation causing much vexation, he said he had every reason to believe that regional travel would be high on the agenda for next year’s’ Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.
