Atlanta’s Mayor Wants To Expand Relationship With Jamaica Government

By: Derrick A Scott

ATLANTA – Atlanta’s Mayor Kasim Reed, wants to broaden the relationship that now exist between the City of Montego Bay, Jamaica and Atlanta, to include a closer working relationship with the government.

The Atlanta Mayor made the disclosure while he held talks with the Most Hon. Mrs Andrew Holness, wife of Jamaica’s Prime Minister who paid a courtesy call on him at City Hall as a part of her five day official visit to that city.

Mayor Reed told Mrs Holness who is also Member of Parliament for East Rural St. Andrew,  that “ we really view this as an extension of a relationship that has been long lasting between the cities of Montego Bay and Atlanta and we also are really excited about the opportunity of engaging with the Government of Jamaica”.

The Atlanta Mayor outlined some of the areas where he felt Jamaica and Atlanta could collaborate.

He pointed out that Atlanta “had the third largest concentration of Fortune 500 businesses in the United States, we have the busiest passenger airport in the world and I think that our connectivity with Jamaica certainly benefits both of our economies and so I think relationships in moments like this really create a way forward for us doing more together .”

Mayor Reed said going forward, he would be identifying areas where the country of Jamaica could have a mutually and beneficially relationship with the city of Atlanta.

He had high praise for the Atlanta-Montego Bay Sister Cities health Mission which he says yearly contributed to assisting the less fortunate in Montego Bay.

He also paid tribute to its former Chairman, the Late Vin Martin who was also Jamaica’s honorary counsel to that city for over sixteen years.

Mrs. Holness said she would convey the Mayor’s wishes to the Prime Minister, and commended Mayor Reed for the growth and expansion of the City.

Mrs. Holness was accompanied by Jamaica’s Honorary Consul to Atlanta, Mrs. Jewell Scott, President of the Atlanta Jamaica Association (AJA), Mr. Allan Stewart as well as board members of AJA.