PM GOLDING TO HOLD BILATERAL TALKS WITH BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT :

 APRIL 23, 2010

PM GOLDING TO HOLD BILATERAL  TALKS WITH  BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT :

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is scheduled to hold bilateral  talks with Brazil's President Lula da Silva  during his visit to Brasilia, to participate in the first ever special summit between Brazil and Caricom member states.

The Prime Minister left the island this morning  to attend  the Brazil and Caricom  summit which gets underway  on Monday (April 26)  .

 The summit, which was initiated by President Lula is designed to establish areas of functional co-operation between Brazil and Caricom countries. Jamaica places great importance on its relations with Brazil, one of the largest economies in the world and a member of the G20 group of countries. Both countries have already signed an air services agreement and Prime Minister Golding will be seeking to secure direct flights between Brazil and Jamaica as a means of promoting tourist arrivals from South America to Jamaica.

The Prime Minister is being accompanied on  his visit to Brazil by the Permanent Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

Following the Summit, Mr Golding will be taking a  week's vacation and will return to the island on May 5. During his absence, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Dr Kenneth Baugh, will be in charge of the government.