Jamaica and Suriname Chart Path Toward Energy, Trade and Air Links

Officials in Jamaica and Suriname want their diplomatic relationship to deliver tangible economic results, and they have singled out energy, commercial exchange, and capital investment as the sectors where partnership should grow deepest.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness argued that CARICOM members face a timely window to shore up energy security as petroleum and natural gas production scales up across the regional bloc.

"The development of oil and gas in the region creates the possibility for the region, for our own energy security uh between Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. I believe that Suriname is taking note as well that Jamaica has started exploration offshore for oil and gas, and so far the results have shown that there is the possibility of an active petroleum system offshore in some of the areas of exploration," Holness said.

The Jamaican leader further noted that negotiators on both sides are crafting an air services agreement aimed at launching direct routes between the countries.

"One of the reasons why the region is not able to exploit all the resources that are positioned all around – it's we just don't have the connectivity whether it is air or sea. And we have proposed and are discussing an air services agreement which could see direct flights between our two countries. So, that is being um structured now as we speak," he added.

Suriname President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons described the engagement as evidence of a joint resolve to broaden collaboration well beyond a single industry.

"We are both concerned about labour migration. Our workers are moving to other countries. We have also discussed how we could tackle this and what Suriname thinks. In general, we can say that the governments of Jamaica and Suriname want to strengthen co-operation so the population of both countries has a better future," she said.