US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON533

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000533 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, JM 
SUBJECT: JAMAICANS INTERESTED IN PURSUING PARTNERSHIP FOR 
AIRCRAFT DISINSECTION 
 
REF: A. 04 STATE 163696 
 
     B. 04 STATE 253001 
     C. KINGSTON 3136 
 
1. On 22 February, after seven months of repeated attempts by 
Embassy to obtain a reply from the Ministry of Health (MOH) 
to Ref A request, post received a letter, dated 16 February, 
containing the MOH response to the US Department of 
Transportation's (USDOT) invitation to join a disinsection 
pilot project.  Complete text of MOH letter is at Paragraph 3. 
 
2. The letter, signed by Dr. Barrington Wint, Chief Medical 
Officer, is actually in reply to a follow-up letter sent to 
Wint by Econoff on 17 December 2004, seeking a reply to Ref B 
request.  Wint's letter states that "the Ministry of Health 
is willing to cooperate with the US Government, Department of 
Transportation, in the piloting of the (air curtain) 
technology at the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport." 
 Wint further wrote that the MOH would like to form a working 
group with USDOT to work out the issues involved, and names 
Mr. Peter Knight, Director of the Environmental Health Unit, 
as the MOH representative. 
 
3.  Begin text of MOH response letter: 
Dear Mr. Salzman 
 
RE: AIR CURTAIN TECHNOLOGY 
 
I refer to your letter dated 2004 December 17 in which you 
proposed collaboration between the United States of America 
and Jamaica Government to implement a pilot project to test 
the air curtain technology. 
 
The Ministry of Health is willing to cooperate with the US 
Government, Department of Transportation in the piloting of 
the technology at the Sir Donald Sangster International 
Airport. 
 
We support your decision to establish a working group since 
there are several stakeholders who would need to be involved 
and many issues to be discussed. 
 
Our representative would be Mr. Peter Knight, Director, 
Environmental Health Unit in this Ministry. 
 
We anticipate a mutually rewarding collaboration. 
 
Yours truly 
 
Barrington Wint (Dr.) 
Chief Medical Officer 
 
cc:  Mrs. Grace Allen-Young, Permanent Secretary 
Dr. Deanna Ashley, Director, Health Promotion & Protection 
Mr. Peter Knight, Director, Environmental Health Unit 
 
End text. 
TIGHE