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JAM | Dec 16, 2021

Ambassador Angie Martínez | ‘After 57 years, may the bonds of friendship between the Dominican Republic and Jamaica grow ever stronger’

/ Our Today

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Dominican Republic Ambassador to Jamaica, Angie Martínez at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade headquarters in Kingston on May 7, 2021. (Our Today photo)

Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Angie Martínez recently hosted a sumptuous reception at her Kingston residence to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two Caribbean countries. 

Below is her full address:

“Good evening

I am blessed to have with me today two of the most persons in my life, my father, Mr Pedro Martínez Diaz and my mother. I am extremely happy to share this moment with them.

It is with great honour and a sense of pride that I welcome you to the residence of the Dominican Republic on this joyous and momentous occasion to celebrate the 57th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. 

The ambassador, the first woman-appointee in over a decade, sat down with Our Today at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in St Andrew. (Our Today photo)

This reception tonight marks the end of a series of successful events geared at strengthening our investment, commercial and trade relations within the framework of this 57th anniversary. 

Although relations between the Dominican Republic and Jamaica began several centuries ago, it was not until the mid-1960s, that diplomatic ties between our countries were established. 

This took place, thanks to the friendship of two great men of our people: Juan Bosch and Alexander Bustamante, who maintained a close friendship that was born in Cuba years before.

In 1963, after the holding of the first free elections following the fall of the Trujillo dictatorship, the then Jamaican Prime Minister Alexander Bustamante was the guest of honour at the inauguration of former Dominican President Juan Bosch, the first Dominican president democratically elected and who promoted one of the most revolutionary governments in the Dominican Republic’s history, proclaiming and giving us a constitution full of values, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

One year after this event, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic would establish diplomatic relations on December 4, 1964.

Some 20 years later, Prime Minister Edward Seaga visited the Dominican Republic during the government of former Dominican President Salvador Jorge Blanco; and more recently, in 2017, the current Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, was on an official visit to our country, accompanied by his foreign minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

We have been united with Jamaica for 57 years of friendship and strong commercial relationship, with great potential to increase, consolidate and expand to new horizons.

The event that we held yesterday in conjunction with the University of the West Indies, with which we closed a series of five conferences and high-level panel discussions that we organised to commemorate this 57th anniversary, addressed the study of the historical relations of our countries and added the element from innovation as the central theme. And we ask, how can we innovate through diplomacy?

Angie Martinez, Dominican Ambassador to Jamaica, with Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Innovation through diplomacy requires us to begin to see the Caribbean as a space of infinite cultural richness and great economic potential. Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are called to be the forerunners in this regard, guardians of the Caribbean.

The Caribbean is inexhaustible and the culture of our peoples is strong and transcendent, no matter how small our territories or the size of our economies. We have been blessed with world-renowned icons such as Bob Marley, Usain Bolt, Claude McKay, Johnny Ventura, Félix Sánchez and Pedro Martínez.

Throughout their recent history, our two nations have taken important steps to strengthen their ties of friendship, but we understand that we can do more, and that we are at the right time to move forward and build together a new and better era between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

The Jamaica-Dominican Republic bilateral relationship is fertile and the key for it to continue growing and strengthening is to know each other better, to complement each other more, identify our mutual opportunities and take advantage of them.

Integrating the youth into this process will be key, supporting the ventures of our young people, teaching them to love our cultures, to make them feel like neighbours and brothers.

We must innovate through cooperation, creating spaces for mutual learning, in which we can share experiences and best practices in multiple areas, growing hand in hand, moving forward together.

Opportunities for cooperation must increase and will continue to expand as we deepen and consistently maintain dialogue between our nations.

One of our strategies is to promote a new south-south investment model. We have success stories of companies with Jamaican capital that have invested tens of millions of dollars on Dominican soil, and in the same way, we have multimillion-dollar Dominican investments on Jamaican soil, generating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in both countries and adding to the growth of its economy.

In their first-ever meeting since her appointment, Prime Minister Andrew Holness bumps elbows with Dominican Republic Ambassador to Jamaica, Angie Martínez on Friday, July 9. (Our Today photo)

Among these companies, JMMB and Jamaica Producers in the Dominican Republic stand out; and in Jamaica the Dominican investments of Magna Motors with Hyundai Jamaica; Fersan; IMCA Caterpillar; GB Energy-Texaco; Therrestra; among others. 

We reiterate; we understand that the time has come to begin a new and better era between the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. A new era of greater collaboration and innovation, in which the goal is mutual development; not only of our economies, but above all of our people and our societies.

The key will be to draft actions to take advantage of this mutual desire to grow together and continue to deepen and strengthen the economic, commercial, cultural and ties of friendship between our people.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic has relaunched in relations with the Caribbean, our natural ally, to progress in a fair, sustainable and reciprocal way and with the development of our societies as its main objective.

The Jamaica-Dominican Republic bilateral relationship is dynamic and fertile one and the key to its continued growth and strength is knowing each other better, to complement each other more, identify our mutual opportunities and take advantage of them.

As we look forward to 57 more years of even better and more improved relations, integrating the youth of our individual country into this process will be key; supporting the ventures of our young people, teaching them to love our cultures, to make them feel closer to each other.

At our Embassy, we have adopted the motto ‘We Make Things Happen’; but, as I always say, we cannot make anything happen without you. The input of you the Foreign Ministry and other governmental ministries and agencies, and private entities is vital and necessary to see the accomplishment of the plans being executed by the Embassy.

Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; and Her Excellency Angie Martínez, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Jamaica.

To that end, I would like to use this opportunity to say thank you to all our partners who have supported us over all these years and especially in our recent endeavours, partners such as the Private Sector organization of Jamaica, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, JAMPRO, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, the Jamaica Customs Agency, Jamaica Producers Group, all other business enitity, government Ministries and agencies. 

I however would like to highlight the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade headed by the amazing Minister Kamina Johnson Smith. Your partnership has been phenomenal. You and your hardworking team go above and beyond to facilitate us, and lend assistance and guidance when and where necessary, are keen to hear our proposals and to sit and dialogue with us. With you all. none of this would be possible.

So, as we look forward to many more years of partnership and collaboration, let us raise our glass to a new and better era in diplomatic, bilateral, commercial and trade relations between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.”

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