DOMINICA: AMATEURISH PM'S OFFICE BOTCHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000005

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV CASC XL
SUBJECT: DOMINICA: AMATEURISH PM'S OFFICE BOTCHES
AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL

Classified By: Ambassador Mary M. Ourisman Reason 1.4 (b/d)


1. (U) This cable contains an action request, please see
para 8.

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Summary
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2. (C) Despite repeated confirmation the day prior to the
Ambassador's planned December 17 farewell calls on Prime
Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and Foreign Minister Vince
Henderson, both were no-shows on the day of the Ambassador,s
visit. The Ambassador instead met with Minister of Community
Development Lorraine Bannis-Roberts and Minister of
International Trade Senator Colin McIntyre, who thanked the
Ambassador for her commitment to building strong ties between
the U.S. and Dominica. The Ambassador noted the broad range
of U.S. economic, military, and law enforcement engagement
with Dominica during her tenure, and expressed regret that
she would not have an opportunity to review the status of a
few ongoing issues with the Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister directly. To cap off the visit, shoddy jet way
maintenance resulting from a Venezuelan construction project
at Dominica's main airport forced the Ambassador's plane to
be grounded when construction nails strewn on the jet way
punctured one of the plane's tires. End Summary.

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Ambassador Meets with Dominican President
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3. (C) The Ambassador began her day in Dominica with a
friendly and cordial meeting with the President of Dominica,
Dr. Nicholas Liverpool. Discussions revolved around friendly
farewells, the economy, health issues, and the airport runway
extension. The Ambassador pledged her support on health
issues facing Dominica, noting the continuing commitment form
the U.S. to the region through an extensive new PEPFAR
program. The Ambassador highlighted many of the successful
cooperative efforts undertaken by the U.S. and Dominica
during her tenure, including increased security assistance,
support for U.S. NGO humanitarian assistance, and support for
biodiversity programs in Dominica and for the Center for
Excellence in Teacher Trainign established in Dominica as a
result of the June, 2007 Conference on the Caribbean in
Washington. The President thanked the Ambassador for the
U.S.'s continued commitment, adding that he is concerned
about the recent global economic slow down, but noting that
so far, cruise ships are still stopping in Dominica and as of
now, the economic effects are minimal.

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Skerrit: Elusive PM a No-Show
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4. (C) Ambassador Ourisman traveled to Dominica to pay
farewell calls on Dominica,s President Liverpool, Prime
Minister Skerrit, and Foreign Minister Henderson. Despite
having confirmed the call on the PM the day prior to the
meeting, we were informed upon arrival in Dominica that the
Prime Minister was off island and unavailable. Instead, the
farewell call was held with Acting Prime Minister Lorraine
Bannis-Roberts, the Minister of Community Development,
Culture and Gender Affairs. The Ambassador Asked
Bannis-Roberts to convey to Skerrit the U.S. desire to
invigorate our dialogue on security launched by the Secretary
with CARICOM ministers in New York in September. The
Ambassador also noted the active role of the Peace Corps in
Dominican community development efforts, which the Minister
warmly welcomed. The Ambassador also noted that she had
wanted to raise a number of issues regarding human rights
voting in the UN, HIV/AIDS, the PEPFAR program and economic
issues, but told Bannis-Roberts she had hoped to be able to
discuss these directly with the Prime Minister. The meeting
ended on a cordial and friendly note.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Follows Suit
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5. (C) Immediately after the cancelled meeting with Skerrit,
another meeting that had been confirmed with the recently
appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vince Henderson, was

also downgraded without previous notice -- this time to
Senator Colin McIntyre, the Minister of Trade. After a brief
review of the economic situation in Dominica and the
potential impact of international economic conditions, the
Ambassador cut the meeting short, kindly asking McIntyre to
convey to PM Skerrit her disappointment that she had traveled
to Dominica specifically to bid farewell to the Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister, but had been unable to meet
with either.

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Scurrying to Cover Tracks
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6. (C) Shortly after the second meeting ended, Emboff
received a phone call from the MFA informing him that PM
Skerrit (now miraculously on the island) would in fact like
to meet with the Ambassador. The Ambassador politely
declined and the Emboff informed the MFA representative that
the Ambassador,s schedule required her to return to Barbados
that afternoon and would therefore not permit a meeting.
Simultaneously, the Dominican Protocol Officer accompanying
the party received a call from the Acting FM, who reiterated
to the DCM the PM,s desire to meet with the Ambassador. The
DCM reiterated that regretfully the schedule would not permit
such a meeting.

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Airport Scare Raises Concern
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7. (C) Upon returning to the airport, the Ambassador,s
traveling party was dismayed to learn that one of the tires
on the Ambassador's plane had been punctured by one of dozens
of construction nails that had been left strewn about the jet
way by construction crews building an addition to the airport
terminal. The pilot confirmed with aviation experts that the
plane could not safely take off or land on the damaged tire,
so the plane was left in Dominica and the party made
alternate arrangements for their return. This jet way is
used daily by American Airlines, American Eagle, and LIAT,
and transports hundreds of passengers every day, including
many American citizens. The potential danger of jet way or
runway obstructions, the party was told, was serious, and
appears to be unattended by Dominican airport authorities.

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ACTION REQUEST
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8. (SBU) In light of the potentially dangerous conditions
encountered at the Melville Hall Airport, and the frequency
of use by American carriers, post recommends that the FAA
undertake an inspection of safety and security measures at
the Dominican airport to ensure the safety of air travelers.
Post has contacted FAA informally about the possibility of a
safety review, and would welcome input from CA regarding the
potential notification through our consular information sheet
of advisory notice about the runway problems to AmCit
tourists planning to visit the island.

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COMMENT
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9. (C) This was not the first time that we have encountered
elusive behavior on the part of the Dominican Prime Minister.
On three other occasions over the past year, Skerrit had
agreed to join with the Ambassador for donations of vehicles,
for military medical teams working in the country, and for
the arrival of Denton flight with relief supplies. In all
cases, Skerrit was a no-show. Other cooperative engagements
planned with Dominica by our Military and USAID have also
encountered last minute delays requiring high-level
intervention to resolve. It is hard to way whether these
problems are the result of incompetence on the part of
Dominica officials, Skerrit,s unreliability, or a wariness
of engaging to openly with the U.S. out of fear of
antagonizing Venezuela, which is becoming increasingly active
within Dominica with involvement in a major runway extension,
oil storage facility, and PetroCaribe oil shipments. Despite
repeated assertions of goodwill on the part of the
government, Dominica remains the most difficult country in
the region for all of our mission elements to work with, as
many Dominicans cancel their training programs at the last
minute leaving the U.S. to foot the bill and counter-drug
operations often find coast guard boats unable to take action
on reliable intelligence. The poorest and most vulnerable of
the Eastern Caribbean islands, Dominica also appears to be
the most susceptible to outside influences and will merit a
close watch on Venezuela,s expanding influence.
OURISMAN