Haiti President Michel Martelly Courts Investment in Jamaica

Above: Jamaica Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti President Michel Martelly continued his visit to Jamaica on Thursday, meeting with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and offering Haiti as a potential destination for Jamaican investors.

Martelly said Haiti wished to open its doors to investors from Jamaica, pointing to what he said were “numerous opportunities” in areas like road construction, airpots, ports and houses.
“We could have projects that give jobs to Haitians, but also giving opportunities to Jamaican [investors],” he said.
A leading Jamaican firm, Jamaica Broilers, already has a major stake in Haiti through its subsidiary, Haiti Broilers, since 2011.
Jamaica’s government also said it had offered offered four scholarships to Haiti, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced during an official visit by Haiti President Michel Martelly.

The scholarships are tenable at the HEART/Trust NTA Institutions; two other scholarships have also been offered to Haiti at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education in Portland.

The announcement came after direct talks between Simpson Miller and Martelly that the former called “both historic and timely” and that “were conducted in an atmosphere of friendship, cooperation and mutual respect.”

“We discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and mutually beneficial initiatives, aimed at increased cooperation between our two countries and governments,” Jamaica’s Prime Minister said.
Martelly is being joined by an 11-member delegation on a three-day visit that concludes Friday. He is also being joined by members of Haiti’s private sector.