With a population of 20 million, Ghana, the West African country that served as a major source, and key port for shipment of slaves to Jamaica, has to date, virtually no economic or trading links with the island.

But believing that Jamaica is well positioned to become the hub for a vibrant trading with the Caribbean, Ghanian president, John Kufuor this week sent a group of senior ministers to explore how, when, and in what products and services such linkages may be forged.

Patrick Lynch (centre) Ghana's honorary counsel in Jamaica speaking at yesterday's business luncheon at the Jamaica Observer, Beechwood Road headquarters. Others from left: Dr Isaac Omane, Ghana's ambassador to Jamaica; J O Obetsebi-Lamptey, Ghana's minister of tourism & modernisation of the capital city; Audrey Marks, Paymaster Jamaica executive chairman; Phillip Gore, chairman of real estate company, Gore Developments.

One of their first stops was at the Jamaica Observer boardroom yesterday, where Patrick Lynch, an Observer director, and Ghana's honorary counsel in Jamaica, organised a working luncheon where the ministers got their first chance to hold face-to-face discussions with some of the island's most dynamic entrepreneurs.

The officials -Nana Akufo-Addo, the minister of foreign affairs, and J O Obetsebi-Lamptey, minister of tourism & modernisation of the capital city - concurred that Jamaica had the culture, history, economic infrastructure and geography, to be the springboard for Ghana's planned foray into the region.

"We want to interest Jamaica in our country of 20 million people," he declared. "We have a flourishing democracy and the systems and people in place who understand modern business practices."
Akufo-Addo made a pitch for his country as one that not only had 20 million people, but which could provide the entry point for 250 million more from across the African continent - a welcoming market for those companies that provided the types of goods and services where critical mass mattered.

Ghana's foreign affairs minister Nana Akufo-Addo (left) reads a copy of yesterday's Observer with Delano Franklyn (centre) Jamaica's state minister for foreign affairs and foreign trade; and Patrick Lynch, Ghana's honorary consul in Jamaica, and finance director of the ATL/Sandals Group.

The officials who are on a three-day mission, came to Jamaica with very specific, but mostly big-item agendas - mining and energy, tourism and public health - based on discussions between Jamaica's prime minister P J Patterson and Ghana's president when he visited the island in July.
But the entrepreneurs at yesterday's luncheon saw the possibilities for much more expansive business ties that could involve indigenous operators of small, medium and large companies.

For example, baking and hotel tycoon Karl Hendrickson saw possibilities for an internationally-recognisable chain like Gordon 'Butch' Stewart's Sandals investing in Ghana's nascent tourism industry.

"You need to seek the advice of a 'Butch' Stewart who has developed an internationally-known brand," Hendrickson told the Ghanians.
In fact, with Ghana's tourism still at the early stage of its maturity cycle, investors in that industry are still reaping mega-returns, with Obetsebi-Lamptey citing a case of one niche market hotelier earning a full return on a 70-room property in less than three years.

In making his pitch for Ghana as a potentially vibrant tourist destination, the minister pointed to the multifaceted products on offer - from sand, sea and sun, to heritage, safari and wild life adventures. A major target he said, was the Diaspora in North America, Europe, and elsewhere on the African continent.

"We want Ghana to be exposed in Jamaica," said Obetsebi-Lamptey. "It is the hub of West Africa just like Jamaica is the hub of the Caribbean."
Other business opportunities that could be explored include bills payments, with the owner and executive chairman of Paymaster Jamaica, Audrey Marks committing to visit Ghana to seek joint partnership to set up her proprietary Paymaster bill payment system in that country.

"It is a system that brings efficiency to daily lives," said Marks, one of the entrepreneurs at the luncheon. "It allows people to conduct a range of businesses from their offices and homes and without having to join lines."

In fact, both Curtis Martin, the CEO of Capital & Credit Merchant Bank, and Patrick Hylton, group managing director of National Commercial Bank said they stood ready to facilitate companies like Paymaster Jamaica that sought to venture into Ghana.

"We can either explore direct investments in areas with good growth prospects, or facilitate trade and other businesses,' declared Hylton.
Obetsebi-Lamptey believes that one iconic Jamaican product that had potential to take off in Ghana is the Walkerswoods brand of condiments and sauces.

"Walkerswood is limited by the size of the Jamaican market," he said. "We have a market of 20 million people."

Marks suggested that Walkerswood - which makes 21 products and exports 85 per cent of its output - could provide a classic case study for the Ghanians, of how a community based product has evolved into a major manufacturing and export enterprise.

Yesterday's luncheon was one of several for the Ghanian officials whose discussions this week are under the umbrella of the Ghana-Jamaica Permanent Commission for Cooperation, that was activated in July when president Kufuor came to the island.

But Delano Franklyn, the minister of state for foreign affairs and foreign trade urged that the meetings be now removed from the sphere of government, to the private sector domain which was the most likely place where effective action could begin.

Specifically, Franklyn recommended an exchange of private sector business delegations between both countries, and stressed that the government itself would welcome such a development. Paymaster's Marks said that she would be making the trip "with or without a delegation".

Other participants:
. Alexander Melville, operator of Chukka Caribbean Adventure Tours; and Tropical Battery Ltd.
. Phillip Gore, real estate mogul and chairman of Gore Developments.

. Ghana's ambassador to Jamaica, Dr Isaac Omane.
. Matthew McLarty, director of overseas marketing at Walkerswood Caribbean.
. Courtney Rattray, director of bilateral relations, at the foreign affairs ministry.

The Observer's team included:
. The chief executive officer, Ed Khouri.
. Editor in chief Paget deFreitas who chaired the proceedings.
. The deputy chairman, Christopher Zacca.

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