Published: Friday | October 23, 2009
Vivian Crawford (second left), executive director, the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ), entertains Dr Don Baker (left), political officer at the US Embassy in St Andrew, and Katherine Rafaniello (right) and Bianca Obllins, the embassy's vice-consuls, at the IOJ yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
AN AMERICAN political officer is lauding Jamaica for creating a Charter of Rights Bill, saying it was healthy for an emerging economy to recognise the rights of its citizens. The officer also pointed to the possibility of an improved relationship with the United States given the push for a new charter.
Dr Don Baker says the United States has a similar policy, and he suspects that the Jamaican format will be similar. However, he noted that there is no single way of being a democracy.
Baker revealed that despite tarnishes due to crime and violence, the country has maintained a good report in the US Embassy's annual human-rights reports, specifically in the area democracy.
"Jamaica respects the human rights of its citizens, for the most part. It has some challenges in terms of crime and those things but we're hopeful that Jamaica will continue to address these issues," Baker told The Gleaner after a presentation at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) yesterday.
The political officer is responsible for drafting the annual human-rights report at the US Embassy. To complete that report, Dr Baker looks at several factors such as the rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and religious liberty. These, he says, provide an assessment for how well Jamaica is doing in providing for its citizens' human rights.
Baker said the importance of the report can be seen in the reactions of countries, such as China, to negative comments.
"It's not as a direct result of the report, but countries that are not democratic do not respect the rights of their citizens, don't have as close ties with the US as with democratic nations," Baker explained.
"Oftentimes, there might be sanctions or penalties for countries that abuse their citizens or don't recognise their rights," said Baker.
Closing guantanamo a strong message
Additionally, he told The Gleaner the US had its own issues in the past. "We're not perfect when it comes to human rights, but our history of focusing on our failures and trying to make amends for our failures is what drives us to make human rights so much a part of our foreign policy."
He said the Barack Obama administration was committed to a strong human-rights message in its foreign policy, and part of that could be seen in his plan to close Guantanamo Bay.
The programme yesterday was dubbed 'Human Rights in the 21st Century: an Opportunity for Dialogue' and was arranged by the IOJ, and the newest arm of the US Embassy, the Speakers Bureau.
Patricia Attkisson, first secretary of that bureau, says organisations can make requests for embassy personnel to address any group and that services would be provided free of cost.
AN AMERICAN political officer is lauding Jamaica for creating a Charter of Rights Bill, saying it was healthy for an emerging economy to recognise the rights of its citizens. The officer also pointed to the possibility of an improved relationship with the United States given the push for a new charter.
Dr Don Baker says the United States has a similar policy, and he suspects that the Jamaican format will be similar. However, he noted that there is no single way of being a democracy.
Baker revealed that despite tarnishes due to crime and violence, the country has maintained a good report in the US Embassy's annual human-rights reports, specifically in the area democracy.
"Jamaica respects the human rights of its citizens, for the most part. It has some challenges in terms of crime and those things but we're hopeful that Jamaica will continue to address these issues," Baker told The Gleaner after a presentation at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) yesterday.
The political officer is responsible for drafting the annual human-rights report at the US Embassy. To complete that report, Dr Baker looks at several factors such as the rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and religious liberty. These, he says, provide an assessment for how well Jamaica is doing in providing for its citizens' human rights.
Baker said the importance of the report can be seen in the reactions of countries, such as China, to negative comments.
"It's not as a direct result of the report, but countries that are not democratic do not respect the rights of their citizens, don't have as close ties with the US as with democratic nations," Baker explained.
"Oftentimes, there might be sanctions or penalties for countries that abuse their citizens or don't recognise their rights," said Baker.
Additionally, he told The Gleaner the US had its own issues in the past. "We're not perfect when it comes to human rights, but our history of focusing on our failures and trying to make amends for our failures is what drives us to make human rights so much a part of our foreign policy."
He said the Barack Obama administration was committed to a strong human-rights message in its foreign policy, and part of that could be seen in his plan to close Guantanamo Bay.
The programme yesterday was dubbed 'Human Rights in the 21st Century: an Opportunity for Dialogue' and was arranged by the IOJ, and the newest arm of the US Embassy, the Speakers Bureau.
Patricia Attkisson, first secretary of that bureau, says organisations can make requests for embassy personnel to address any group and that services would be provided free of cost.
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