Members of the shipping industry were last week educated on United States (US) foreign policy and its impact on the Caribbean, as well as visa issues, during the Shipping Association of Jamaica's Lunch and Learn Seminar.

Vice-consul at the US Embassy in Kingston, Katherine Rafaniello, told the group that US foreign policy continues to focus on sustainable development in small countries. Jamaica, she pointed out, will benefit from US President Barack Obama's climate change initiative, through the United States' partnership with Brazil, to help the country develop its biofuel production. This is being made possible through a grant of US$25,000.

"The US Embassy, in partnership with the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), was able to finance the development of a request for proposals for the waste to energy project with the Ministry of Energy," Rafaniello told members.

Additional assistance to the country, she noted, was the financing of the privatisation of Air Jamaica, through the USTDA to the tune of $820,000. This amount was matched by the World Bank.

Visa approval

Kristina Hayden, also vice-consul of the US Embassy in Kingston, provided information on business visas and noted that while professionals may apply for a visa for official company business, they are assessed first on their individual merit.

She said that ties such as an individual's social connection, economic situation, job history, family relationships and travel history help to determine success.

Business visas, she pointed out, are usually issued to individuals who represent a wide range of professions, including athletes, service engineers and lecturers/ researchers and other entrepreneurs. Visas are also issued to facilitate attendance of conferences and trade shows, as well as training programmes, engineering services, lectures and research.