Obama arrives in Jamaica today for state visit

Barack Obama will become the first U.S. president to set foot on Jamaican soil in more than three decades on Wednesday.

Obama arrives in Kingston for a meeting with the 15-member CARICOM Caribbean bloc – the first time a sitting U.S. president will visit the island-nation since Ronald Reagan way back in 1982.

Obama will be keen to offer an alternative to cheap Venezuelan oil, which has enticed many of the region’s struggling economies, but looks set to end.

Obama will have to woo countries that while geographically close to the United States, sometimes feel politically distant.

“We absolutely feel that the CARICOM region does deserve greater attention and engagement from the United States,” said senior Obama advisor Ben Rhodes on the eve of the visit.

He pointed to a recent energy initiative led by Vice President Joe Biden.

“We are looking to continually deepen our relationship with the Caribbean and can play an important role in enhancing the energy security of the region,” said Rhodes.

The United States had “significant” energy resources and infrastructure, he added.

Source: AFP