Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama seen at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina on Monday. - AP

PARLIAMENT ON Tuesday commented on the historic feat of Barack Obama, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for the United States presidential vote, with Opposition member Anthony Hylton viewing the developments as positive for the Caribbean.

"We believe that given the historic links between the People's National Party, we would want to express our congratulations to the people of the Untied States and for the demonstration of democracy in action," Hylton, member of parliament for West St Andrew, said.

"We feel very hopeful (about) the policy stances on the issues articulated by Senator Barack Obama, the nominee. We feel that this would represent for Jamaica, for a number of young people the world over, a rejuvenation, a re-engagement in the political process," Hylton noted.

First-term senator

Obama, a first-term senator, is set to get the Democratic nomination at Convention in September. His arch-rival Hillary Clinton dropped out of the race last week after failing to secure sufficient delegates, paving the way for Obama, the first black man to have a realistic shot at the presidency, to challenge Republican John McCain in November.

However, Government member Karl Samuda urged caution, saying that Obama's ascendancy should not be equated with automatic benefits for Jamaica, whose population is overwhelming black.

Samuda recounted the experience of the region feeling energised after former US President Bill Clinton met with Caribbean leaders in Barbados.

"Everyone came away buoyed by the expression of goodwill, support and unity for the the Caribbean," Samuda said. He said, however, that when Clinton returned to the US, he threatened Europe with tariffs if they did not address the question of the Ecuadorian banana.

Altering rules

Europe had altered their rules to allow for greater imports of Caribbean bananas, but the Clinton administration threatened Europe with sanctions on luxury items they were exporting to the US.

"The effects that it could have had on the Caribbean was devastating," Samuda said.

"It said to me at that time that while we may hear utterances of good support, (but) in the final analysis, the American presidency is for America first and the rest of the world after that," Samuda added.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Portia Simpson Miller, who rose in support of Hylton, said Jamaica should wish both presidential candidates well, in order to maintain good foreign relations.