Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRIDGETOWN746
2006-05-03 18:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bridgetown
Cable title:
BARBADOS AND CUBA - LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0746 1231851 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 031851Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2388 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 2487 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0049
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000746
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
OTTAWA FOR ECON SECTION
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU BB XL
SUBJECT: BARBADOS AND CUBA - LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW
REF: A. SECSTATE 57782
B. BRIDGETOWN 637
C. 05 BRIDGETOWN 2446
D. 05 BRIDGETOWN 1954
E. 04 BRIDGETOWN 2747
Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
(C) The five questions in Ref A are answered below, in a Q
and A format.
--------------
Investments
--------------
Q1 - What is the nature of investments (and names, if known)
that host country businesses have in Cuba?
A1 - The Canadian energy company Sherritt (www.sherritt.com)
has set up two offshore companies in Barbados that it likely
uses as a platform for investments in Cuba (Ref E). The
significant tax savings Canadian companies enjoy in Barbados,
coupled with Barbados' tax and investment treaties with Cuba,
mean there may be other Canadian companies using offshore
subsidiaries in Barbados to enter the Cuban market.
--------------
Trade Agreements
--------------
Q2 - Are there any bilateral trade agreements between host
country and Cuba?
A2 - Yes. Barbados has active bilateral tax and investment
treaties with Cuba. In addition, CARICOM has a trade
agreement with Cuba that Barbados recently ratified in
parliament (Ref B, para. 13).
--------------
Exchange Programs
--------------
Q3 - Are there any exchange programs between host country and
Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships for host
country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid medical travel
for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors working in host
country?
A3 - Yes. Barbados is the recipient of Cuban scholarships
and Cuban-paid medical travel for Barbadians in need of eye
surgery (Ref D). There is no wide-scale program to utilize
Cuban doctors in the local health care system. In addition
to official exchange programs, there are exchanges at the NGO
level. For example, on April 11 a Barbados labor union
hosted a dozen Cubans visiting Barbados from two Cuban
organizations, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the
People and the Caribbean Association of Cuba.
--------------
Democracy and Human Rights
--------------
Q4 - Has the host country, in Post's opinion, worked to
promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba?
Q4 - No. Barbados has done nothing to advance democracy and
human rights in Cuba.
--------------
High-Level Visits
--------------
Q5 - Have there been any high-level diplomatic visits between
Cuba and host country in the past six months?
A5 - Yes. Fidel Castro visited Barbados December 7-9, 2005,
for the triennial CARICOM/Cuba Summit (Ref C).
GILROY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
OTTAWA FOR ECON SECTION
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU BB XL
SUBJECT: BARBADOS AND CUBA - LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW
REF: A. SECSTATE 57782
B. BRIDGETOWN 637
C. 05 BRIDGETOWN 2446
D. 05 BRIDGETOWN 1954
E. 04 BRIDGETOWN 2747
Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
(C) The five questions in Ref A are answered below, in a Q
and A format.
--------------
Investments
--------------
Q1 - What is the nature of investments (and names, if known)
that host country businesses have in Cuba?
A1 - The Canadian energy company Sherritt (www.sherritt.com)
has set up two offshore companies in Barbados that it likely
uses as a platform for investments in Cuba (Ref E). The
significant tax savings Canadian companies enjoy in Barbados,
coupled with Barbados' tax and investment treaties with Cuba,
mean there may be other Canadian companies using offshore
subsidiaries in Barbados to enter the Cuban market.
--------------
Trade Agreements
--------------
Q2 - Are there any bilateral trade agreements between host
country and Cuba?
A2 - Yes. Barbados has active bilateral tax and investment
treaties with Cuba. In addition, CARICOM has a trade
agreement with Cuba that Barbados recently ratified in
parliament (Ref B, para. 13).
--------------
Exchange Programs
--------------
Q3 - Are there any exchange programs between host country and
Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships for host
country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid medical travel
for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors working in host
country?
A3 - Yes. Barbados is the recipient of Cuban scholarships
and Cuban-paid medical travel for Barbadians in need of eye
surgery (Ref D). There is no wide-scale program to utilize
Cuban doctors in the local health care system. In addition
to official exchange programs, there are exchanges at the NGO
level. For example, on April 11 a Barbados labor union
hosted a dozen Cubans visiting Barbados from two Cuban
organizations, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the
People and the Caribbean Association of Cuba.
--------------
Democracy and Human Rights
--------------
Q4 - Has the host country, in Post's opinion, worked to
promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba?
Q4 - No. Barbados has done nothing to advance democracy and
human rights in Cuba.
--------------
High-Level Visits
--------------
Q5 - Have there been any high-level diplomatic visits between
Cuba and host country in the past six months?
A5 - Yes. Fidel Castro visited Barbados December 7-9, 2005,
for the triennial CARICOM/Cuba Summit (Ref C).
GILROY