OPULENT HAVANA DIGS: BAHAMAS LOOKS INTO MISSING

S E C R E T NASSAU 000177

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BF CU
SUBJECT: OPULENT HAVANA DIGS: BAHAMAS LOOKS INTO MISSING
CASH AND VISA SCAM AT GCOB MISSION IN CUBA

REF: A. (C) 08 NASSAU 870

B. (S) 07 NASSAU 523

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


1. (U) Media highlighted lack of transparency and
accountability in expenditures for the Bahamian Embassy in
Cuba in coverage March 2 of an official auditor,s report
from 2006-2007. The auditor general was unable to account
for nearly a million dollars destined for the new Havana
mission. The audit also detailed irregularities in visa
processing, including verification of identity, sponsorship,
and financial accounting.


2. (S) Former Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell rejected the
reports as inaccurate. He ascribed the accounting problems
to lack of documentation. He denied malfeasance and said
that no money was missing. Mitchell blamed bad procedures
for the visa processing problems, and said they were
uncovered and corrected on his watch. Yet an MFA consular
official privately accused the ex-Foreign Minister of
involvement in a Chinese visa scam in April 2007 (ref B).


3. (U) An editorial March 4 titled &Lavish expensive
embassy in Cuba8 reiterated the auditor,s report,s
findings and quoted a journalist,s impressions of the Havana
mission and official residence,s opulence. The editorial
concluded that the Prime Minister &had to change his mind
about closing the Bahamas, embassy in Cuba8 because the
GCOB had already spent too much taxpayer money on it (ref A).

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COMMENT
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4. (S) Despite the ex-Foreign Minister,s denials, the
auditor,s findings may be confirmation of precisely the sort
of corrupt practices at the highest levels of government that
contributed to the PLP,s election defeat in May 2007.
ZUNIGA-BROWN