2018-07-18Staff Report 2 Kuzeeko Tjitemisa WINDHOEK- Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and a high-powered delegation are expected to arrive in Namibia this coming Sunday. The touring entourage will hold bilateral talks with key partners, New Era has been reliably informed. Holness has been Jamaica’s Prime Minister since March 2016, after the 25 February general election the same year. The visit was confirmed by the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation’s Deputy Director of Information and Research, Marbeline Goagoses yesterday, who said the Jamaicans’ visit is scheduled for July 22 to 25. She said the ministry is currently working on the programme and the media will be informed in due course. Meanwhile, Cabinet earlier this month announced that they have authorised visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports of Jamaica. At the time, Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa told a media briefing that Cabinet has authorised the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration to exempt all holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports of Jamaica from visa requirements for visits to Namibia up to 90 days per calendar year. He said this is done in terms of Section 12 (2) (a) of the Immigration Control Act, 1993 (Act 7 of 1993). Also, earlier this year the Jamaica Observer newspaper reported that Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) voted to support a resolution for the twinning of Kingston, the capital of the Caribbean nation, and Windhoek. The Jamaican daily reported that the twinning is expected to cement and develop the historic and cultural ties between the Jamaican and Namibian capital cities. According to the resolution, the city of Windhoek used diplomatic channels to develop the initiative for the twinning of the cities. “Both cities, which share deep cultural, creative and historic ties, have agreed to pursue and solidify the relationship through various initiatives such as, but not limited to trade in goods and services, youth participation in governance, community empowerment and local economic development,” the resolution reads. 2018-07-18Staff Report 2
