Press release: PM meeting with Prime Minister of Jamaica: 17 April 2018

A Downing Street spokesperson said,

The Prime Minister had a bilateral meeting with the Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness earlier today.

The Prime Minister said Jamaica was a key Commonwealth partner, with over 800,000 members of the Jamaican diaspora residing in the UK and over 200,000 Britons visiting Jamaica each year.

The Prime Minister said she deeply valued the contribution made by the Windrush generation and all Commonwealth citizens who have made a life in the UK, and that the UK Government would ensure the correct support was in place to give people certainty about their existing right to reside here. They looked forward to the meeting later this morning with heads of delegation from Commonwealth Caribbean countries where the matter will be discussed and the Prime Minister will have further opportunity to listen to concerns.

They discussed climate change and migration and agreed that the UK and Jamaica would continue to cooperate closely on disaster preparation ahead of hurricane season, on tackling serious and organised crime, and on healthcare training and education.

They agreed the bilateral trade and investment relationship would continue to grow, with the Prime Minister noting that as we leave the European Union, we are encouraging British businesses to look more widely around the world to identify opportunities to expand and diversify trade. They agreed that economic development and the provision of opportunities for the many young people in the region was key to Caribbean security.