Singapore Ambassador to CARICOM Calls on Minister Shaw

Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Singapore to the Caribbean Community, Her Excellency Ambassador Karen Tan today, October 25, 2018, paid a courtesy call on Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw at his New Kingston offices.

During the courtesy call, Ambassador Tan and Minister Shaw discussed areas of mutual interest and the enhancement of bilateral relations between the two countries.

Jamaica and Singapore established formal diplomatic relations on November 1, 1992.

In welcoming the Ambassador, Minister Shaw informed her that Jamaica and Singapore have always had a very good relationship, particularly as it relates to the trading services and the automobile industry.

“With your appointment as Ambassador to CARICOM, we want to continue this relationship. We want to explore more in trade and investment. We know that Singapore is on the cutting edge with technology, so there is a great need to embrace more technology. There is too much bureaucracy and not enough use of technology in Jamaica. We have to use technology to substitute bureaucracy,” Minister Shaw stated.

For her part, Ambassador Tan said her appointment as Ambassador to CARICOM represents Singapore’s commitment to “continue to work to sustain and deepen” its engagement with the region, and to find new avenues for cooperation.

“Singapore has been offering technical assistance in disaster risk management through the CARICOM Secretariat. There needs to be more ‘take up’ in education and training. We want to see what more we can do in bilateral arrangements, particularly, in the areas of the special economic zone, the logistics hub and, we are also keen on promoting inter-connectivity in the Region,” the Ambassador informed.

To date, Ambassador Tan said that a number of officials from CARICOM have participated in various programmes including public administration, urban planning, finance, information technology and civil aviation in Singapore.

Prior to being posted as Ambassador to CARICOM, Ms. Tan served as Singapore’s High Commissioner to the Republic of India, resident in New Delhi. She had concurrent accreditation as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bhutan and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

Ambassador Tan was accompanied by Kang Hong Lim, Country Officer, Americas Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore.

-30-