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 As the first U.S. president to visit Kingston since Ronald Reagan
in 1982, Obama faces the challenge of convincing Caribbean island
leaders that Washington is genuinely re-engaging after a long period
of perceived neglect of its smaller, poorer neighbors.
Obama arrived in the middle of Jamaica's Carnival week but will have
little time to take in the revelry during a 24-hour visit expected
to be dominated by discussions on energy, security and trade with
the 15-member Caribbean Community, or Caricom.
Some analysts say a key reason why Washington is suddenly paying
attention to the Caribbean Basin is that it wants to wean the
islands off dependence on cut-rate Venezuelan oil that Caracas has
long used to wield influence in the region.
Most Caricom members participate in Venezuela's discounted
Petrocaribe oil program, but Caracas now finds itself in growing
economic distress due to low oil prices.
 "As Petrocaribe is unraveling, the U.S. is taking advantage,” said
Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank
in Washington. "The Caribbean islands have to look elsewhere for
energy."
The Obama administration launched the Caribbean Security Energy
Initiative last year, and in January Vice President Joe Biden hosted
Caribbean leaders in Washington to discuss alternative energy
sources such as wind and solar.
From Jamaica, Obama travels to Panama to attend a Western Hemisphere
summit, where Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has made clear he
will confront Obama over new U.S. sanctions.
Obama will also cross paths at the Summit of the Americas with Cuban
President Raul Castro for the first time since the two announced a
historic opening between their countries in December.
Communist-ruled Cuba will also be on the agenda in Kingston, with
leaders largely supportive of U.S. détente with the region's most
populous island nation.
In Thursday's talks, Obama will try to show that even though he
remains preoccupied with crises elsewhere in the world, he is
determined to focus on the Caribbean.
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"We absolutely feel that the Caricom region does deserve greater
attention and engagement from the United States," Ben Rhodes,
Obama's deputy national security adviser, told reporters. "At times
people feel like the United States has not engaged these countries
significantly as we should."
Rhodes said the talks would yield "concrete outcomes" but he
declined to provide details on any new regional initiatives.
With Caribbean countries saddled with high unemployment, many are
eager for a re-energized U.S. partnership. "We have no jobs here.
Jamaican people just want jobs," said Marie Sherood, 32, a craft
vendor on the beach in Kingston.
The night before getting down to work with Caribbean leaders, Obama
paid a visit to the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston.
On a tour of the house where the reggae legend lived until his death
in 1981, Obama, in shirtsleeves, was shown a trophy room where
Marley's Grammys and platinum records were on display. Meanwhile,
Marley's hit song "One Love" played over the loudspeaker.
"What a wonderful tour," Obama said as he wrapped up the visit.
(Additional reporting by Aileen Torres-Bennett in Kingston and David
Adams in Miami; Editing by Mohammad Zargham, Sandra Maler and Ken
Wills)
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