AMBASSADOR OURISMAN'S MEETING WITH BARBADOS AG

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000632 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND INL AND CA/OCS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DHS FOR A/S ROSENZWEIG E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ASEC CASC SNAR ECON ETRD BB XL SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR OURISMAN'S MEETING WITH BARBADOS AG DALE MARSHALL REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 229 ¶B. BRIDGETOWN 399 ¶C. BRIDGETOWN 397 Classified By: AMB Mary Ourisman for reasons 1.4 (d) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: In a May 11 introductory meeting with Ambassador Mary Ourisman, Barbados Attorney General Dale Marshall thanked the United States for its assistance during Cricket World Cup and looked forward to further cooperation in the areas of security and law enforcement. He also requested on behalf of the Eastern Caribbean, U.S. assistance with the acquisition of additional maritime assets. Ambassador Ourisman raised the seized weapons shipment, imported under the Foreign Military Financing program and being held by Barbados Customs, as well as the case of an American prisoner who needs medical treatment. End Summary. -------------- Cricket World Cup -------------- ¶2. (C) Barbados Attorney General Dale Marshall began his first official meeting with Ambassador Ourisman by formally thanking her for the generous U.S. assistance during Cricket World Cup (CWC). Marshall said the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) welcomed the specialized police and disaster training, the presence of USS Carney in the region, and the enhanced border security thanks to the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). He also expressed his appreciation for the productive visit of DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Paul Rosenzweig in February (ref A). This meeting SIPDIS was key in enabling APIS to go live before the start of CWC. Marshall appreciated the "respect" that the USG accorded CARICOM during the APIS negotiations, with the United States treating CARICOM as an equal partner, on the same level as the European Union. In response to Ambassador Ourisman's question about the status of CARICOM's response to U.S. suggestions on the text of the operational protocols, Marshall said that CARICOM was waiting for the outcome of negotiations for a renewed U.S./EU APIS agreement as CARICOM hoped to have the same data use and retention provisions. -------------- Caribbean Regional Maritime Agreement -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Marshall said discussions on the Caribbean Regional Maritime Agreement (CRMA) foundered as the USG seemed disinclined to provide the Eastern Caribbean with desired equipment. (Note: The CRMA is a 2003 agreement that covers boarding rights during counter-narcotics operations. In response to the original USG demarche on CRMA, several, but not all CARICOM member states drafted a list of desired equipment as a signing quid pro quo. End Note.) Marshall stated that Barbados recently spent USD 20 million on coast guard vessels from the Dutch shipbuilding company Damen, but that some of the other islands in the region lack the resources to obtain maritime assets. In his opinion, CARICOM nations need ships more than technical assistance. The lack of ships and coastal craft is hindering the smaller nations' ability to conduct drug interdiction and rescue operations. ¶4. (SBU) The DCM explained that there are benefits for nations that sign the CRMA, but the CRMA did not envision the provision of equipment to CRMA signatories. Ambassador Ourisman noted the extensive U.S. assistance provided to date, including the FMF-funded Technical Assistance Field Team (refs B and C). The Ambassador also mentioned the May 13-18 inauguration of the State Partnership Program, which will bring together CARICOM's Regional Security System (RSS) with the National Guards of Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands to cooperate on security, disaster preparedness and response, as well as education. -------------- Confiscated Weapons -------------- ¶5. (C) Ambassador Ourisman inquired into the case of a consignment of weapons which had been seized by Barbados Customs in 2006 due to inadequate advance notification by the United States. The weapons had been procured under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program for St. Lucia and Dominica. Ambassador Ourisman stressed that the Embassy now has in place proper procedures to preclude future problems. Marshall was familiar with the situation, but noted that his Ministry was not in a position to assist. He promised to forward the request for assistance to the Prime Minister, whose portfolio also includes defense and security. -------------- Medical Assistance for an Amcit Prisoner -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Ambassador Ourisman sought assistance from Marshall in the case of Amcit Terry Moore. Moore was arrested in Barbados on May 12, 2006, for possession of illegal drugs and firearms. In June 2006, Moore asked for Embassy assistance in scheduling a doctor's visit to examine a lesion on his arm that he thought could be cancerous. The Embassy requested six times that Moore be provided with medical attention, which was never provided. Marshall stated he would contact the Superintendent of Prisons about this case. (Note: After the meeting PolOff provided the Attorney General's Office with copies of the Embassy's letters to the Superintendent. Post plans to follow up to ensure action is taken. End Note.) -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Ambassador Ourisman's first official meeting with Attorney General Dale Marshall came soon after the conclusion of Cricket World Cup, which for the Eastern Caribbean proved to be a security success. The CWC host countries have pledged to continue their stepped up security cooperation, and it is in U.S. interest to build on this momentum and assist them in strengthening regional security. Marshall's voice is yet another from the region asking the United States to remain engaged in the Caribbean. This message will likely be amplified during the June Conference on the Caribbean in Washington. The planned FMF cuts, in particular, will undermine the region's capabilities. The FMF-funded Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT) has been key to keeping the region's existing maritime assets afloat. Marshall also repeated a frequent theme of our Caribbean interlocutors -- that the region appreciates U.S. training and technical assistance, but is in desperate need of equipment and material support. In post's opinion, the region needs both kinds of assistance, and we urge Washington agencies to continue exploring ways to ensure that the gains we have made to date in improving the region's security infrastructure and capacity is not lost. OURISMAN