Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KINGSTON1652
2005-07-05 11:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kingston
Cable title:  

KINGSTON POL/ECON ROUNDUP: JUNE 17-30, 2005

Tags:  PGOV PREL EFIN ECON EINV JM KCRM CASC EAGR 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINGSTON 001652 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) AND WHA/PDA
STATE ALSO FOR INL/LP, EB/TPP, AND EB/IFD
STATE ALSO FOR CA/OCS/ACS/WHA (RUTH BRANSON)
STATE PASS OPIC FOR TABERNAKI
CUSTOMS MIAMI FOR LOWEN AND MAHABIR
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS, FAS, AND LEGATT
STATE PASS USTR FOR A. GASH-DURKIN
DOJ FOR OPDAT/ R LIPMAN
TREASURY FOR L LAMONICA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN ECON EINV JM KCRM CASC EAGR
SUBJECT: KINGSTON POL/ECON ROUNDUP: JUNE 17-30, 2005


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINGSTON 001652

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) AND WHA/PDA
STATE ALSO FOR INL/LP, EB/TPP, AND EB/IFD
STATE ALSO FOR CA/OCS/ACS/WHA (RUTH BRANSON)
STATE PASS OPIC FOR TABERNAKI
CUSTOMS MIAMI FOR LOWEN AND MAHABIR
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS, FAS, AND LEGATT
STATE PASS USTR FOR A. GASH-DURKIN
DOJ FOR OPDAT/ R LIPMAN
TREASURY FOR L LAMONICA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN ECON EINV JM KCRM CASC EAGR
SUBJECT: KINGSTON POL/ECON ROUNDUP: JUNE 17-30, 2005



1. This week's topics:

-- Poll Shows Davies Gaining Ground
-- Six Closer to Extradition to U.S.
-- JCF Recruits Abroad as Crime Soars
-- Jamaica to Launch Copyright Campaign
-- Trade Deficit Deteriorates
-- Jamaica and China Sign Bauxite Agreement
-- Thailand Views Jamaica As Possible Hub
-- Jamaica Unperturbed by U.S. BSE Case
-- Jamaica Suspends Imports of Chicken

--------------
Poll Shows Davies Gaining Ground
--------------


2. An Embassy contact confirmed reports that an internal
poll conducted by the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) in June
revealed that Finance Minister Omar Davies had gained ground
in the race to succeed Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in
upcoming general elections, expected to be held in 2006-2007.
The poll, which was designed to gauge Opposition Leader
Bruce Gelding's standing in the succession race, showed that
Portia Simpson Miller, Minister of Local Government,
Community Development, and Sports, was leading Golding by the
widest margin, with Davies in second place and National
Security Minister Peter Phillips in third. Only Karl Blythe,
a vice president of the People's National Party, was found in
the poll to be losing to Golding.

--------------
Six Closer to Extradition to U.S.
--------------


2. A Jamaican court yesterday ordered the extradition to the
United States of one Colombian and five Jamaicans --
including a policeman -- to face drug trafficking and money
laundering charges. Lawyers for the men, who were making
their 64th court appearance, have repeatedly challenged
extradition on the basis of a purported lack of evidence.

The prosecution, however, rebuffed the defense,s arguments
and presented the testimony of a key witness, a nephew of one
of the suspects. The six now have 15 days to appeal. The
magistrate's latest ruling is good news, but, given that the
proceedings have dragged on for more than a year, and that
all of six appear determined (and financially capable) to
pursue all lines of appeal to their limit, Post cautions that
additional delays may yet be in store. Embassy is seeking a
meeting with the Director of Public Prosecution to get his
sense of the legal state-of-play.

--------------
JCF Recruits Abroad as Crime Soars
--------------


3. (SBU) Apparently pleased with the performance of Mark
Shields, a senior Scotland Yard veteran on secondment to the
Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) as deputy commissioner in
charge of crime, the JCF is reported to be recruiting more
foreign cops to fill its top ranks. Newspaper ads for four
assistant commissioner positions have reportedly appeared in
newspapers in Britain, Australia, Canada, and the United
States. Prior to advertising the jobs publicly, the JCF
attempted to recruit additional officers in the United
Kingdom without success, due in part to a shortage of senior
U.K. officers, but perhaps also because of Jamaica's soaring
murder rate. With more than 845 killings by the end of June,
murders are on track to top 1,700 by year-end, which would
make 2005 another all-time record for the island. In 2004,
Jamaica had one of the world's highest per capita murder
rates. Shields recently speculated to Poloff that Jamaica
must be one of the world's most difficult policing
environments. He was hopeful that foreign officers on
long-term assignments in Jamaica would serve to modernize the
police force.
--------------
Jamaica To Launch Copyright Campaign
--------------


4. The GOJ and the Jamaica Exporters' Association (JEA) are
getting help from the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) to launch a campaign against the
bootlegging of "brand Jamaica." The campaign is expected to
include legal action demanding the cessation of the illegal
use of the country brand and, in some cases, to seek
remuneration. Dr. Andre Gordon, president of the JEA,
estimated that the country is losing billions of U.S. dollars
per year to bootlegging. Producers from Guatemala, Costa
Rica, Haiti, Ivory Coast, and the Dominican Republic are the
main infringers, with products ranging from drink mixes to
canned ackees and jerk seasonings. Jamaica has TRIPS
compliant copyright laws, but remains a special 301 "Watch
List" country because its patent law is not TRIPS compliant.

--------------
Trade Deficit Deteriorates
--------------


5. Jamaica's trade deficit widened by 20 percent to USD
652.1 million during January to March 2005. The
deterioration in the deficit stemmed from the 11.3 percent
reduction in export earnings and the 7 percent increase in
imports. Export earnings suffered from problems plaguing the
sugar industry, while increasing international oil prices are
fueling imports. The current result is a turnaround from the
gains made in 2004, when export earnings benefited from the
lagged effects of the 2003 currency depreciation and the
strengthening of the euro against the U.S. dollar. The
depreciation made Jamaican exports and services, such as
tourism, more attractive to foreigners, while the
strengthening euro increased sugar earnings and diverted
American visitors from Europe to the Caribbean.

--------------
Jamaica and China Sign Bauxite Agreement
--------------


6. On June 20, during Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's
five-day official visit to Beijing, the GOJ and China signed
four bilateral agreements covering bauxite, education, and
technical cooperation. The agreements, signed by Development
Minister Paul Robertson on behalf of Jamaica, include
cooperation between the Jamaica Bauxite Institute, Jamaica
Bauxite Mining Limited, and China Minmentals Corporation.
Minmentals will study the feasibility of participating in the
establishment of a bauxite mining and alumina refinery
facility in Jamaica with a projected 1.4 million tons of
annual capacity.
--------------
Thailand Views Jamaica As Possible Hub
--------------


7. Jamaica could derive significant economic benefits if
Thailand makes good on its intention to use the island as its
commercial hub from which to conduct business with the rest
of the Caribbean. A delegation of business leaders and
government officials from Thailand is set to visit Jamaica
for talks with their local counterparts on the proposal.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, who was apprised of the plans
on June 16 during bilateral talks with Thailand's deputy
prime minister, welcomed the move. Patterson noted that the
idea was timely, given that the Caribbean single market will
come into force by early 2006.

--------------
Jamaica Unperturbed by U.S. BSE Case
--------------


8. (SBU) Jamaica's Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke, and
Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Headley Edwards, have
discredited the Opposition Jamaica Labor Party's call for a
ban on U.S. beef products in light of the identification of a
second case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the
United States. Clark and Edwards told P/E Chief and FAS FSN
on June 27 that, based on Jamaica,s existing sanitary /
phytosanitary regulations, which are informed by the Office
of International Epizooties guidelines, and the rigor,
continuity, and transparency of the U.S. BSE testing and
monitoring program, there is no additional risk to public or
animal health in Jamaica from the second case of BSE in the
United States. The Minister further stated that, given the
time profile of the U.S. feed ban, his ministry is aware of
the possibility of other animals in the U.S. cattle
population being infected with BSE. However, such animals
would not pose any additional risk to Jamaica,s beef supply,
said Clarke, as imports are limited to muscles derived from
animals that are less than thirty months old.

--------------
Jamaica Suspends Imports of Chicken
--------------


9. In response to the recent intense agitation by Jamaica's
two large broiler companies - Jamaica Broilers and Caribbean
Broilers ) regarding the alleged illegal influx of imported
chicken leg quarters from the United States, Jamaica's
Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke, has announced a
suspension of import permits for chicken backs and necks from
the U.S. until an investigation is conducted. According to
Clarke, chicken leg quarters, which attract a 260 percent
import duty, are being imported into Jamaica under the
disguise of duty-free chicken backs and necks from the United
States, to the detriment of the local poultry industry.


10. Minimize considered.
TIGHE