KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, has commended Jamaican business leaders for participating in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Review Commission.

Johnson Smith also praised the leaders for their demonstrated interest to ensure that Jamaica’s path to realising economic growth and job creation is “well cemented” with the nations closest to the island.

The minister, who was speaking at the third meeting of the Commission on Tuesday, indicated that a lot of interest has been generated in the work of the Commission.

That interest, the minister said, is not only coming from persons locally, but also regionally and internationally.

The CARICOM Review Commission is the brainchild of Prime Minister Andrew Holness. It has been tasked to examine Jamaica’s role in the regional bloc and how it has impacted the country’s development.

Topical issues such as trade practices; the treatment of Jamaicans travelling to other CARICOM countries; contrasts emerging between CARICOM’s strategies and goals and those of individual countries and how these can be reconciled, are also to be explored.

It is being chaired by former prime minister, Bruce Golding and has already had two meetings.

Participants in Tuesday’s meeting included prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

Meanwhile, members of the public are being invited by the Commission chair to submit suggestions that will facilitate a more comprehensive and inclusive review process. Deadline for submissions is August 31.