Bloomberg, the first Big Apple mayor ever to visit this sun-drenched island in an official capacity, then invited his police commissioner, Ray Kelly, to join in. Kelly did - with a solo that wowed the crowd.

"I just want to say to all the people of Jamaica, 'One love,' " Bloomberg said later.

The mayor's trip, which is certain to bolster his support in immigrant communities back home, was crammed with a hospital visit and meetings with government and business officials.

At the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Bloomberg and Kelly spent an hour with some of its young patients, talking, laughing and doling out dolls, crayons and toys.

He gave a truck to 4-year-old Daniel Guthrie, who mugged for the cameras, prompting the mayor to quip, "He's going to be a politician one day."

Many of the kids had no idea who Bloomberg was.

Then it was on to sharing crime-fighting methods with Jamaican Security Minister Peter Phillips and Kingston Police Chief Francis Forbes.

As the 2005 mayoral campaign draws near, some of the city's top black politicians have signaled they might want Bloomberg's job.

Bloomberg, a businessman-turned-mayor who has no particular voter base to speak of, has taken pains not to take black constituents for granted, including the city's Jamaican community, which is said to be more than 200,000 strong.

He's visited black churches often since his election and pushed for better relations between city cops and black communities, which were at an all-time low when he took office. When asked why he was visiting Jamaica now, Bloomberg only said, "It's a beautiful day."

Some New Yorkers on holiday in Jamaica bumped into their mayor between events.

Bob Cranshaw, a musician from the Upper East Side, said Bloomberg "came at the right time."

"It's definitely cold in New York now," Cranshaw said. Dennis Bunch, another Manhattan vacationer, added, "It shows solidarity, and we need that right now."

The mayor had planned to visit Haiti as well but canceled that trip due to security concerns cited by the State Department.

Bloomberg - who also has visited Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Israel, Greece, Turkey, Afghanistan and Kosovo - returned to the Big Apple last night.