Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRIDGETOWN195
2009-03-30 16:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bridgetown
Cable title:  

EASTERN CARIBBEAN PLANS FOR SOA (C-AL9-00153)

Tags:  PREL EFIN XL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #0195/01 0891626
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 301626Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7264
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000195 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: CONCLUSION OF SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
TAGS: PREL EFIN XL
SUBJECT: EASTERN CARIBBEAN PLANS FOR SOA (C-AL9-00153)

REF: STATE 20677

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. D. Brent Hardt, reasons 1.4 (b,d)

-------
SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000195

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: CONCLUSION OF SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
TAGS: PREL EFIN XL
SUBJECT: EASTERN CARIBBEAN PLANS FOR SOA (C-AL9-00153)

REF: STATE 20677

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. D. Brent Hardt, reasons 1.4 (b,d)

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Eastern Caribbean Prime Ministers all plan to lead
their delegations to the Summit of the Americas. All seven
Eastern Caribbean countries believe that the Summit provides
an opportune moment to engage the new U.S. Administration to
address what they see as a potentially devastating blow to
their offshore financial sectors -- tax haven legislation now
working its way through Congress. Many would like to raise
the region's decade old hobby horse of criminal deportees and
their alleged, but actually quite minimal, impact on crime
and violence. A few of the more ardent friends of Cuba may
look for an opening to advocate for change in our Cuba
policy. At least one MFA PermSec expressed concern over host
Trinidad's ability to manage personalities at the Summit, but
all the countries in the region expressed a desire to see a
successful Summit that moves relationships forward. Delegate
information follows at end of cable. End Summary.

--------------
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
--------------


2. (C) Eastern Caribbean (EC) nations have yet to finalize
or coordinate their approach to the upcoming Summit of the
Americas. A recent CARICOM heads of government meeting in
Belize does not appear to have forged a final CARICOM-wide
consensus on issues to raise or the appropriate venue in
which to raise them. The countries of the Eastern Caribbean
sub-region have also not yet forged a consensus amongst
themselves on issues to raise at the Summit. Nevertheless,
three refrains have been constant in the region since
President Obama's election:

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ANXIETY OVER TAX HAVEN LEGISLATION
--------------


3. (C) First, and of vital interest to most Eastern
Caribbean countries, is the issue of pending "Tax Haven"
legislation in the U.S. Congress. Many EC countries are low
tax jurisdictions, and the offshore sector represents a
significant economic driver -- in some cases the second
largest contributor to national economies after tourism. At
least three foreign ministries indicated to us that they
intended to raise this legislation, and their strong

opposition to it, at the Summit.

--------------
CRIMINAL DEPORTEES: THE OLD STANDARD
--------------


4. (C) Second, EC countries are once again planning on
trotting out their longstanding laments about criminal
deportees, hoping that a new Administration will be more
amenable to slowing or halting the deportation of non-citizen
criminals from the U.S. to their country of citizenship.
Every since changes in U.S. laws in the mid-90s led to
increasing numbers of deportees from the U.S., Eastern
Caribbean countries have been blaming deportees for crime
problems in their countries. They have continued to beat
this drum despite the fact that there is no evidence of a
link between criminal deportees and crime rates in the EC and
despite the widespread use of the practice among the
countries themselves. At the end of the day, bringing up the
issue gives regional leaders a means to blame outside
influences for rising crime instead of taking responsibility
for it and addressing the home-grown roots of the problem.

--------------
REVISITING CUBA POLICY
--------------


5. (C) Third, a few Eastern Caribbean countries may take up
the cudgel for a re-examination of our Cuba policy by calling
on the Administration to end the embargo against Cuba and
normalize relations. St. Vincent's Prime Minister Ralph
Gonsalves would be the most likely advocate on Cuba's behalf,
with Dominica, Antigua, or Barbados' leaders also potential
advocates. The sympathy for Cuba is deeply rooted among the
leaders, who tend to romanticize the revolution and admire
Castro for standing up to the United States. By speaking out
on the issue, they may seek to position themselves as having
led the call on Cuba's behalf in order to earn domestic
political points.

--------------
COMMON DESIRE FOR SUCCESSFUL SUMMIT
--------------


6. (C) All of the Eastern Caribbean countries have conveyed
their desire to see a successful Summit that moves
relationships forward. One MFA PermSec noted pointedly that
"it matters to us that there are no backwards steps on
relations within the Hemisphere as a result of the Summit."
Some have expressed concern, however, over whether host
nation Trinidad and Tobago has a game plan to deal with those
who might want to disrupt the Summit. Moreover, while the EC
countries certainly do not intend to provoke conflict, the
key issues that they intend to raise or support are among
those most likely to spark confrontation. Some of these
concerns could be mitigated through separate meetings with
CARICOM or Eastern Caribbean countries to discuss Tax Haven
legislation, but these small countries will likely follow the
lead of larger neighbors if Cuba policy becomes a central
issue during the summit.

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KEY LEADERS
--------------


7. (C) Of the EC Prime Ministers planning to attend,
Barbados PM David Thompson would be the most likely to take a
leadership position to try to steer the Summit towards a
successful conclusion. Thompson is practical and can think
strategically, and could be a useful partner in forging
consensus within the EC and CARICOM generally on issues
raised outside the communique. On the opposite side of the
scale is the Mercurial PM from St. Vincent, Ralph Gonsalves.
Gonsalves is a talented politician with tremendous charisma,
and could also be useful in helping to forge consensus. But
he is also a committed populist-socialist who idolizes Castro
and has expressed strong ties to Hugo Chavez, making him a
wild card. Ultimately, he can probably be counted on to do
the right thing, but not before setting off a few fireworks
for effect. Dominica's Roosevelt Skerrit is closest to
Chavez and most dependent on Petro-Caribe and ALBA
assistance, and while he is not likely to be vocal, he would
likely be found in Chavez's corner on most issues. St.
Lucia's Stephenson King and St. Kitts' Denzil Douglas are
most likely among the regional leaders to be supportive of
U.S. views, except in Douglas' case on Cuba.

--------------
DELEGATE INFORMATION
--------------


8. (U) Delegation notables, Eastern Caribbean:

-- Antigua and Barbuda: Delegation Head, PM Baldwin Spencer;
delegates MINFIN Lovell, Antiguan Ambassador to the U.S.
Lovell, Antiguan Embassy POLCOUNS Anne-Mary Lane.

-- Barbados: Delegation Head, PM David Thompson (TBD);
delegation not confirmed but likely to include FONMIN Maxine
McClean and MFA PermSec Teresa Marshall.

-- Dominica: Delegation Head, PM Roosevelt Skerrit;
delegates FONMIN Vince Henderson, MFA PermSec Steve Ferrol.

-- St. Kitts and Nevis: Delegation Head, PM Denzil Douglas;
delegates St. Kitts Ambassador to the U.S. Izben Williams,
Ambassador to CARICOM Wendell Lawrence.

-- St. Lucia: Delegation Head, PM Stephenson King; delegates
FONMIN Rufus Bousquet

-- St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Delegation Head, PM Ralph
Gonsalves; delegates Mrs. Gonsalves, FONMIN and Mrs. Louis
Straker, Attorney General Judith S. Jones-Morgan, St. Vincent
Ambassador to the U.S. La Celia Prince.
HARDT