Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KINGSTON867
2008-10-03 14:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kingston
Cable title:  

JAMAICA: SEPTEMBER ECONOMIC REVIEW

Tags:  ENRG EAIR EINV ECON ETRD IADB IBRD IMF TRSY XL JM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHKG #0867/01 2771459
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031459Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6818
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINGSTON 000867 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (ACADIEUX) (VDEPIRRO) (WSMITH)
WHA/EPSC (MROONEY)
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS AND FAS
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG EAIR EINV ECON ETRD IADB IBRD IMF TRSY XL JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: SEPTEMBER ECONOMIC REVIEW

REF: A) KINGSTON 770
B) KINGSTON 704
C) KINGSTON 703
D) KINGSTON 570

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINGSTON 000867

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (ACADIEUX) (VDEPIRRO) (WSMITH)
WHA/EPSC (MROONEY)
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS AND FAS
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG EAIR EINV ECON ETRD IADB IBRD IMF TRSY XL JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: SEPTEMBER ECONOMIC REVIEW

REF: A) KINGSTON 770
B) KINGSTON 704
C) KINGSTON 703
D) KINGSTON 570


1. (SBU) SUMMARY:

-- The GOJ's USD 4.5 million deal with American Airlines to
guarantee airlift to the island has faced criticism in the press;
others see it as an important hedge against the failing national
carrier Air Jamaica.

-- Air Jamaica appears to have found a new CEO after the one
selected by the board failed to take the position in September.

-- USTDA supported an orientation visit by a three-person GOJ team
to look at waste-to-energy technologies in a United States.

-- A U.S. Treasury Department six-person delegation met with the
Ministry of Finance, IMF, World Bank and the private sector to
assess the potential for widening the tax base and improving tax
administration.

-- The Minister of Finance and the Minister of Tourism fear problems
in the U.S. financial sector could hurt future tourism revenues.

-- Jamaica has launched its first real estate investment trust with
the purchase of several luxury apartments in Trinidad.

-- Prime Minister Bruce Golding said the Inter-American Development
Bank (IADB) will provide USD 50 million in funding for
infrastructure repairs including a new bridge that was washed out by
Tropical Storm Gustav.

-- Finance Minister Audley Shaw said his inflation could reach 16
percent by the end of the year, well above the target of 9 percent.

-- Jamaica has slipped in the Transparency International annual
rankings, indicating higher levels of perceived corruption.

-- The flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Jamaica fell from
USD 882 million in 2006 to USD 779 million in 2007.

AVIATION
--------------


2. (U) A deal between Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and American
Airlines has faced controversy in various press articles during the

month. Under the plan, Jamaica could pay up to USD 4.5 million as a
guarantee to maintain flights from three US cities (Dallas, Fort
Worth and Chicago) in the event the seats are not filled. Minister
of Tourism Edward Bartlett has repeatedly defended the move in the
press, saying on September 18, that a key reason for signing this
deal was the access to the feeder markets that American Airlines
affords with over 200 flights daily. Last year, over 40 million
people traveled through its Dallas hub, and over 20 million through
its hub in Miami.
He added that he wants to access these feeder markets to build the
tourism business in Jamaica. The deal with American Airlines will
guarantee more than 2,000 additional seats to the island.


3. (U) Keith Collister of the Gleaner newspaper wrote on September
10 that in economic terms, the USD 4.5 million is a small price to
pay as an insurance premium to 'insure' Jamaica's tourism industry
against the dangers of insufficient airlift. He points out that the
payment is small and insignificant when compared to Air Jamaica's
loss of over USD 170 million last year, which he said may be
exceeded this year. He also criticized the GOJ's failure to grant
low-cost airline Airone (reftels) a license to operate out of
Jamaica, a move he believes would have increased airlift to the
island for tourists, fueled future tourism growth through low-cost
fares and reduced the need for the American airlines deal.


4. (U) Edward Weigel, the American citizen selected by Air Jamaica
to be the new CEO starting September 1, declined the position for
personal reasons a few weeks after failing to arrive. Press reports
indicate that Bruce Noble, the former President of Air Jamaica, may
return as CEO. Noble was CEO over four years ago when the airline
was under the control of the Butch Stewart-led Air Jamaica
Acquisition Group, prior to being taken over by the GOJ.

ENERGY
--------------


5. (U) The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USDTA) has financed an
orientation visit for six Jamaican officials to visit

KINGSTON 00000867 002 OF 003


waste-to-energy sites in the United States and to meet with
representatives from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation,
the Environmental Protection Agency and the World Bank. The visit
from September 28 to October 3 is to help the GOJ develop its plans
for investments in the waste-to-energy sector.

TAX REFORM
--------------


6. (U) A U.S. Treasury Department six person delegation from the
officer of overseas technical assistance met with the Minister Shaw,
tax and customs officials as well as IMF, IADB, World Bank and the
private sector to conduct an assessment on ways to shore up tax
compliance in response to the recent tax amnesty (reftels) and to
look at ways of widening the tax net on the island. The visit was
held from September 28 to October 3.

TOURISM
--------------


7. (U) Ministry of Finance officials fear the worsening downturn in
the U.S. financial sector could affect tourism. Citing the collapse
of investment bank Lehman Brothers, Minister of Finance Audley Shaw
told reporters from the Gleaner newspaper on September 16, "I don't
see any immediate impact, but there could possibly be a direct
implication on the tourism industry because a lot of persons have
lost their jobs."


8. (U) Minister of Tourism Edward Bartlett echoed Shaw's fears
during an interview with the Financial Gleaner newspaper on
September 21 saying that although Jamaica is the only country in the
Caribbean that is "still showing some growth in arrivals." He said
he expects "continued growth because in August we ended at 3.6 per
cent and year to date of over 5 per cent which is significant." He
added that the three key indicators that guide Jamaica's market
position are the general economy, the airlift availability and the
weather conditions. The president of Jamaica Hotel and Tourist
Association (JHTA) Wayne Cummings less optimistic saying what is
happening in the United States will have serious implications for
the sector.

REAL ESTATE
--------------


9. (SBU) Jamaica launched its first real estate investment trust
(REIT) on the Jamaican stock exchange on August 5. The Carlton
Savannah REIT was formed by Leo Williams a former managing director
of the respected Jamaica Money Market Brokers to purchase real
estate holdings in Jamaica and abroad. Williams met with econoffs on
September 12 to discuss is business. He said his June IPO raised
USD 5.6 million, he originally hoped for USD 17.4 million, but said
he thinks the public response was lower, because this is the first
time a REIT has been formed on the island so the concept is new to
many investors. His first investment was the purchase of seven
luxury apartments in Trinidad that are rented out as hotel rooms in
the Carlton Savannah hotel which is scheduled to open at the end of
October. He is now looking at commercial real estate opportunities
in Jamaica for his next purchase. Williams is also an American
citizen who worked for many years at General Electric, before
returning to Jamaica.

INFLATION
--------------


10. (U) In a speech to the House of Representatives on September 23,
Finance Minister Audley Shaw, said his inflation target for the
2008/2009 budget was "somewhat overambitious." He said inflation
could reach 16 percent by year end, well above the Bank of Jamaica
initial projection of 9 percent inflation. He said, however, that
the BOJ has gone back to the drawing board and has come up with a
projection of 16 percent, which he believes will hold true.

INFRASTRUCTURE / MULTILATERALS
--------------


11. (U) Prime Minister Golding announced on October 1 that the
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) will help finance a new
bridge between Kingston and St. Thomas Parish which was washed out
by flooding from Tropical Storm Gustav (reftels). Following recent
meetings in Washington D.C., Golding said he received a commitment
from the IADB for a USD 50 million loan for infrastructure
rehabilitation in the wake of Gustav.

CORRUPTION /TRANSPARENCY
--------------


KINGSTON 00000867 003 OF 003



12. (U) In the 2008 annual report from Transparency International,
Jamaica has slipped 12 places on corruption index, indicating that
corruption has increased over the last year. In the report released
September 24, Jamaica fell from a rank of 84 to 96 out of 180
countries. The ratings are based on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0
indicating the highest levels of perceived corruption and ten, the
lowest level. Jamaica received a score of 3.1. Jamaica is in the
same category as countries such as Gabon, Benin, Guatemala, and
Mali.

INVESTMENT
--------------


13. (U) The 2008 United Nations' World Investment Report was
released on September 24 showing the flow of Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in Jamaica fell from USD 882 million in 2006 to USD
779 million in 2007. At an event to announce the findings, Robert
Gregory, President of Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI) said tourism
accounted for about 65 percent of investment. The bulk of
investment in the sector came from Spain, ahead of more traditional
investment partners Canada and the United States. Manufacturing was
in second place at 16 percent.
HEG