CODEL ISSA'S MARCH 30 MEETING WITH NEWLY INSTALLED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000682

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT)
Q
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR KCRM SOCI JM
SUBJECT: CODEL ISSA'S MARCH 30 MEETING WITH NEWLY INSTALLED
PRIME MINISTER PORTIA SIMPSON MILLER


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Summary
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1. Codel Issa met with newly installed Prime Minister Portia
Simpson Miller on March 30, shortly after the PM was sworn in
at King's House. The cordial meeting lasted nearly
one-and-a-quarter hours. Simpson-Miller expressed
determination to move quickly to address Jamaica's
joblessness and high crime rates, particularly among youths.
Education will also be a priority. Codel Issa urged the PM
to consider seeking Millennium Challenge Account funding, and
recommended that she visit Washington "sooner rather than
later" to explore potential avenues of engagement and
assistance. Ambassador Tony Hylton, who was appointed
Foreign and Trade Minister shortly after the meeting, said
that Jamaica and fellow CARICOM states still needed special
consideration, in trade issues, as "small, vulnerable
economies." Simpson Miller said she expected she would have
"no honeymoon" as she attempted to tackle Jamaica's myriad
problems. End Summary.

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Codel Issa Meets the New Prime Minister
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2. The Ambassador and the U.S. Congressional Delegation
headed by Rep. Darrell Issa, and including Reps. Sheila
Jackson-Lee, Gregory Meeks, William Lacy Clay, Diane Watson,
and Mrs. Renee Chenault-Fattah, wife of Rep. Chaka Fattah
(who was unable to make the trip to Jamaica),met late March
30 with newly sworn-in Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller,
at the PM,s suite in a New Kingston hotel. Simpson-Miller
was joined by Ambassador Tony Hilton (who was subsequently
appointed as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign
Trade) late-arriving Commerce Minister Phillip Paulwell, PM
personal assistant, Anne Shirley, and by the PM,s
aide-de-camp. Accompanying the Ambassador and Codel Issa
were DCM, Pol/EconCouns (notetaker),Congressional staffer
Ted Brennan, and two Codel military escorts. The meeting
lasted an hour and one-quarter, and took place in the PM,s
suite at a Kingston hotel.


3. Rep. Issa began by congratulating the new PM on her
swearing-in earlier that day, and asked how Congress might
best assist her new administration. After welcoming the
members of the delegation and thanking them for attending the
ceremony, she said noting that she had recently met a young
deportee who told her that he had been &tricked8 by U.S.
authorities into leaving the U.S. without the proper
documentation, and that the issue of deportees from the U.S.
merited closer scrutiny. The new PM pledged to combat
narcotrafficking while lamenting the related, ready
availability in Jamaica of illegal foreign-origin firearms.
Expanding on the theme, Simpson Miller said that she would be
an &activist Prime Minister8 who would address crime and
poverty issues in poorer communities, and attempt to stem
rural-to-urban drift through an unspecified job creation
plan. Advocating increased social intervention by the GOJ,
she said, &If you arrest one criminal (leader),six more
rise up to replace him.8 The PM expressed interest in
introducing foreign language instruction into Jamaican
schools.

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Crime Issues
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4. Crime was a significant topic of discussion, and Rep. Issa
agreed that we could explore ways of impeding the flow of
illegal firearms entering Jamaica. When Rep. Watson asked
how the weapons were entering the country, Simpson Miller
replied that she had limited information, but suggested that
fishing boats and &barrels8 (the generic term for packages
shipped to Jamaican families and friends by members of the
diaspora community.) Rep Watson observed that
counternarcotics efforts also impact gun smuggling, and
suggested that CARICOM be involved in interdiction efforts.
After offering greetings on behalf of Speaker Hastert and
Minority Leader Pelosi, Rep. Jackson-Lee suggested to the PM
that the GOJ explore enhanced anti-crime efforts with CARICOM
partners, adding that in-kind training by DEA and the FBI
might also be appropriate. Rep. Clay invited the PM to
consider studying how the Americorps program in the U.S.
might be applicable to Jamaica, and urged that she take steps
to ensure that Jamaica did not develop what he termed &a
prison-industrial complex8 in response to its crime

KINGSTON 00000682 002 OF 002


challenges.

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MCA
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5. Rep. Jackson-Lee strongly suggested that the PM seriously
consider how Millennium Challenge Account funding might
benefit Jamaica. Rep. Meeks seconded Rep Jackson-Lee on MCA,
noting that overall U.S. assistance funding had been cut
back. Observing that &we won,t have a honeymoon period8
to address Jamaica,s pressing problems, Simpson-Miller said
she would work closely with CARICOM on youth development and
employment generation, adding that assistance in these areas
would also &help a lot.8 As she had done previously with
the Ambassador, Simpson Miller expressed keen interest in
MCA, and, as she had done during a recent meeting with the
Ambassador, instructed Paulwell to follow up with the Embassy.

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Trade: Still Seeking Special Consideration
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6. Ambassador Hylton (who shortly after the meeting was
announced as Jamaica,s new Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Foreign Trade) spoke positively about the Secretary,s recent
meetings in Nassau with CARICOM counterparts, and urged that
such engagement be sustained. He also asked for
Congressional support for &small, vulnerable economies8 in
trade discussions with the Caribbean.


7. Rep. Issa replied that Presidential authority to conclude
trade agreements such as CAFTA was expiring, and suggested
that the Prime Minister visit Washington &sooner rather than
later8 to discuss trade and other issues. The PM replied
that she intended to begin exploring an early visit to
Washington. Simpson-Miller spoke warmly about the President,
who had called her on March 28 to congratulate her on
becoming Prime Minister. She noted that she fondly recalled
the visit to Jamaica of Vice President George H.W. Bush
during the 1980's, and urged that the current president
remember the CARICOM region.

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CSI
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8. Rep. Meeks asked how the GOJ was doing with regard to the
Container Security Initiative (CSI). The PM replied that the
Port Authority of Jamaica, with welcome USG assistance, was
&doing well8 in intercepting contraband. Paulwell added
that Jamaican ports had been certified by the USG, that PAJ
had installed X-ray machines, but could use more.

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Ethanol
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9. On the issue of ethanol, the PM stated that Jamaica would
begin using 10-percent ethanol fuel on May 1. Rep. Issa
noted that Brazil,s demand for ethanol exceeded its domestic
capacity, and suggested that the GOJ consult with the GOB on
ethanol.

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Comment
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10. Simpson Miller,s willingness to receive the Codel (and
to spend so much time with them) so soon after taking office
is a promising indication that she wants to strengthen the
bilateral relationship. End Comment.


11. This cable has been cleared by Codel Issa.
JOHNSON