BAHAMAS: 2009 SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS (C-AL9-00153)

S E C R E T NASSAU 000172

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2019
TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS: 2009 SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS (C-AL9-00153)

REF: A. SECSTATE 20677

B. NASSAU 149

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Timothy Zuniga-Brown for reasons 1.4(b
) and (d).


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: GCOB officials will voice their
opposition to the proposed Anti-Tax Haven Act at the 2009
Summit of the Americas (SOA). During a meeting on March 13,
MFA Permanent Secretary Patricia Rogers told the Charge that
the GCOB plans to raise the issue, noting that The Bahamas
has made considerable effort since 2001 to be more
transparent and cooperative with U.S. agencies. The GCOB has
no plans to raise the economic embargo of Cuba but would not
be surprised if others in the region did. END SUMMARY.


2. (S/NF) The following input is keyed to ref A, paragraph
1.A:

-- 1. The GCOB has not finalized plans for the SOA. Prime
Minister Ingraham will attend a meeting with other CARICOM
members in the coming weeks to discuss priorities. A major
theme for The Bahamas is the current economic situation and
specifically the effect of the proposed &Stop Tax Haven
Abuse Act8 on the Bahamian banking industry (ref B).
Already reeling from a drop in tourist travel, The Bahamas is
fearful that their other major industry, the banking sector,
will be crippled by the passage in the U.S. and Europe of
similar laws aimed at off-shore banks. Rogers told the
Charge that The Bahamas has been proactive in responding to
requests by the U.S. following 9/11 for more transparency and
cooperation. The GCOB plans to lobby against the bill at the
Summit and on the margins.

-- 2. Rogers said that she did not have any indications that
any governments would use the Summit to criticize U.S.
policy, upstage the U.S. president or engage him in public
debate. She would not be surprised, however, if some took
advantage of the summit to raise the issue of the economic
embargo of Cuba.

-- 3. Rogers opined that countries in the region may have
used the December Brazil Summit, to which the U.S. and Canada
were not invited, to trial balloon issues in advance of the
SOA. However, she believed that the atmosphere at the SOA
would be more constructive and positive in part because the
countries know it is their first time to engage with the new
administration.

-- 4. Rogers said that if others tried to circumvent the SOA
with controversial agenda items The Bahamas would speak out
for restraint. She felt that other like-minded Caribbean
countries such as Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Barbados
would do likewise.

-- 5. Rogers had no knowledge of any other governments
planning to use the summit process as a mechanism to advance
reforms that could jeopardize the independence and autonomy
of the Inter-American Human Rights System.
ZUNIGA-BROWN