JAMAICA RESPONSE TO LIBERTAD ACT, TITLE III

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 000482

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CCA - DAVID MCFARLAND
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - JTILGHMAN
WHA/EPSC - LKUBISKE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: TRAD ETTC PREL JM XL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA RESPONSE TO LIBERTAD ACT, TITLE III

REF: A. SECSTATE 52541

B. KINGSTON 414

C. 07 KINGSTON 1730

Classified By: DCM James T. Heg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Post has provided responses to questions listed in
reftel A. Prime Minister (PM) Bruce Golding, accompanied by
Mrs. Golding, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Foreign Trade Kenneth Baugh, Minister of Tourism
Ed Bartlett, Minister of Health Ruddy Spencer, Minister of
Water and Housing Horace Chang, and Minister of Agriculture
Chris Tufton, visited Havana from May 5 - 7. This was the
first major visit by Golding to Cuba since taking office and
indicates a closer relationship between the Jamaica Labour
Party (JLP)-led government and Cuba under the new leadership
of Raul Castro. During the three-day visit to Havana, PM
Golding:
A) signed framework agreements for bilateral cooperation in
the areas of agriculture, health, tourism, water resources,
and housing;

B) reiterated his call for lifting of the U.S. embargo, and
for constructive U.S. engagement with
Cuba;

C) sought to assure the Cubans that, under his Jamaica Labour
Party (JLP) Government, longstanding
bilateral cooperation would continue (reftel B).


2. (SBU) Post is unaware of any specific Jamaican investments
in Cuba or any Jamaican firm with a commercial presence in
Cuba. However, Jamaicans generally oppose U.S. policy
towards Cuba, which hampers post's efforts to gather accurate
investment data. Jamaica has a diplomatic presence in Havana.



3. (SBU) In regard to the recently signed bilateral
agreements Golding reportedly said "one of the areas to be
explored is the possibility of multiple destination marketing
where visitors can purchase a package through which they
could spend some time in Jamaica and some time in Cuba. In
agriculture, the cooperation envisioned appears to be in
greenhouse technology. The PM reportedly discussed the need
to protect the two countries' territorial waters from drug
smugglers. In addition to the framework agreements for
bilateral cooperation signed in May, there is also a
CARICOM-Cuba Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement signed
July 5, 2000 (Jamaica is a CARICOM member). Cuba remains a
significant export market for Jamaica, with exports of USD 9
million for 2006 (2007 figures will be available in July
2008). Imports for the same period were USD 2.8 million.
Jamaican exports include pig feed, garments, and scrap metal.
Imports from Cuba include copper, cement, clay construction
materials, and cigars. The GOJ, through the Export-Import
Bank, has an established line of credit with Banco Nacional
de Cuba in order to facilitate exports.


4. (C) Although Cuban political involvement in Jamaica was
strong at one time, it has now dwindled. Historically in
Jamaica, JLP Governments generally have been less sympathetic
to the Cuban regime that those of the opposition People's
National Party (PNP). The end of Fidel Castro,s control of
Cuba appears to be leading to closer ties with the GOJ. The
Cuban government has continued to provide significant social
support through educational scholarships and the occasional
deployment of medical personnel. The medical program "Mision
Milagro" (Miracle Mission) provides free medical eye care in
Cuba to Caribbean residents. The service is used by people
with cataracts or other treatable eye conditions. Cuba also
provided over four million energy-saving compact fluorescent
bulbs to households since February, 2006. (Note: the public
relations value for Cuba of the light bulb exchange was
mute,d as it is the subject of an ongoing GOJ corruption
investigation under which the former Prime Minister Portia
Simpson Miller (PSM) accrued a bill of USD 3.95 million for
the distribution of the bulbs. It appears GOJ officials
awarded lucrative contracts to distribute the bulbs to two
firms recently incorporated by close friends or relatives.
The matter has been turned over the Director of Public
Prosecutions and the Fraud Investigation Unit. End note).


5. (SBU) After returning from Cuba in May, Golding released a
press statement calling for the end of the U.S. economic
embargo on Cuba, saying "we believe the time has come for
constructive engagement with Cuba." Golding said he assured
Cuba that Jamaica would try to &influence the thinking of
the United States government towards a different approach to
Cuba.8 Golding said he would encourage the U.S. to adopt a
similar approach to Cuba as it has with communist China and
Vietnam. He said that during the visit to Cuba he saw "clear
signs" of Cuba moving in a "path of reform." Golding added,
&I believe that all of us owe Cuba the respect, they have
traveled a long road and in a sense they are arriving at the
same destination that we have defined for ourselves ) an
improved quality of life for their people, a consolidation of
their sovereignty and their independence. I believe that we
must all do whatever is possible to make sure that Cuba can
be integrated into the mainstream of the world community.8


6. (C) Post continues to believe that suspension of the right
to bring action in U.S. courts against entities and nationals
trafficking in confiscated properties in Cuba is necessary to
U.S. interests. Singling out Jamaican entities or nationals
for prosecution would be counterproductive in achieving other
USG objectives. In post,s view, proceeding with the
implementation of Title III of the Libertad Act would
seriously complicate, and perhaps even compromise, our
efforts in areas of agreement. Actions against Jamaican
nationals would likely provoke a strong response from GOJ
particularly in light of the recent visit by PM Golding to
Havana.
JOHNSON