KINGSTON, Jamaica —People’s National Party (PNP) President, Dr Peter Phillips, yesterday extended congratulations to US Congresswoman Maxine Waters on her elevation in the 116th Congress to the chairmanship of the US House Committee on Financial Services.  

Waters is now the first woman and African American to hold the position of chairmanship of the committee since 1865, making this a historic achievement for her.

According to a release from the PNP, Phillips thanked Congresswoman Waters for being a very important ally and voice of the Caribbean in the US House of Representatives while in conversation with her yesterday.

He also wished the congresswoman all the best in her new assignment and expressed hope that the new diversity and dynamism of the US Congress will enhance the success of the deliberations of the committee.

Waters has advocated for many issues facing the Caribbean such as environmental and climate change, trade and investment and immigration related concerns, the PNP noted.  

The party also recalled that the US congresswoman is no stranger to Jamaica as she has made regular visits to the island with her more recent visit being in July 2018, when she participated in a PNP Women’s Movement-sponsored event to honour former prime minister Portia Simpson Miller.