United States Republican Senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum said they are committed to deepening dialogue with Jamaica through the expansion of bilateral economic relations, while also assisting local trade interests in the state of Pennsylvania in forging closer links with Jamaican businesses.

The senators’ comments came during separate meetings with a delegation of the Jamaica Trade Council of Greater Philadelphia (JTCGP), which called on the American legislators at their respective offices on Capitol Hill on March 19.

Describing the further development of trade relationships between the US and the Caribbean as “a key area in expanding our bilateral contacts”, Senator Specter said the US government was placing an “increased emphasis on structures, such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas, which represent mechanisms where our economic and trade partnerships can be enhanced and where the US can meaningfully participate”.

The Pennsylvania senator, who sits on the US Senate’s influential Appropriations Committee and chairs its Veteran Affairs Committee, also agreed that small Caribbean states faced peculiar vulnerabilities as they sought to liberalise their economies in order to facilitate their entry into trade agreements, such as the FTAA.

“It is therefore important that dialogue such as this (with JTCGP) inform our discussions so that these agreements can be mutually beneficial to the Caribbean and countries like Jamaica,” he said.

The JTCGP group is also interested in promoting and expanding trade investment, particularly with industries in the city of Philadelphia, and exploring new joint venture initiatives between Pennsylvanian businesses and like enterprises in the island.

Senator Specter added that his staff would continue to work with the JTCGP and encouraged the group to suggest ways in which US federal agencies and departments, such as USAID and the Department of Commerce, could increase their cooperation with JTCGP to facilitate greater investment in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

For his part, Senator Santorum commended the JTCGP for taking the initiative to ensure that the US government helps American firms and companies to explore investment opportunities in countries such as Jamaica, and the region at large. The senator also applauded the group for developing links with Philadelphia’s immigrant community and for its understanding of the need to foster economic and trade relationships that could benefit both American and Caribbean firms.

The JTCGP also plans follow-up meetings, set for mid-April, with both senators’ trade and economic policy staffers.