BAHAMAS: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF LIBERTAD ACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000321 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2019 TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL SUBJECT: BAHAMAS: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF LIBERTAD ACT REF: A. SECSTATE 48487 ¶B. NASSAU 181 Classified By: Charge Zuniga-Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Post recommends waiver of the provisions of Title III of the Libertad Act for The Bahamas. The GCOB has had a cordial relationship with Cuba, has supported Cuba in international fora, and has engaged in both cultural and economic exchanges with Cuba, including promotion of Cuban trade. The Bahamian government under Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has a more skeptical approach than its predecessor, yet appointed a veteran immigration official as new ambassador to Cuba and signed a technical agreement on cooperation in health, education, and agriculture in anticipation of future joint projects. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs traveled to Havana for a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in April 2009. The extremely close bilateral cooperation between The Bahamas and the U.S. in drug interdiction, alien interdiction, anti-terrorism and border security, however, merits a waiver of the provisions of the Libertad Act. END SUMMARY. -------------- Bahamas-Cuba Diplomatic Relations -------------- ¶2. (C) The Governments of The Bahamas and Cuba have maintained cordial relations. The GCOB signed a technical agreement on cooperation in health, education, and agriculture with Cuba March 16 (ref B). Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brent Symonette, traveled to Havana for a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in April ¶2009. Prime Minister Ingraham traveled to Cuba in December 2008 for a CARICOM-Cuba high-level meeting. The Bahamas justifies its relations by citing the need to provide consular services, to address bilateral migration issues, explaining the appointment of an experienced immigration official to the post of ambassador in September 2008, and to promote trade and travel. The Bahamian government has also noted the need for close relations to avoid repetition of incidents such as the 1980 sinking by Cuban forces of a Bahamian Defense Force vessel resulting in the deaths of several Bahamian sailors. Like the U.S., the Bahamian government works with Cuba to combat drug and migrant trafficking. The Government of Cuba maintains an embassy in Nassau, and a new Ambassador was accredited in late August ¶2007. ¶3. (C) Illegal migration to The Bahamas from other Caribbean 
states, Haiti and Cuba in particular, is one of the country's biggest political issues. Illegal Cuban migrants interdicted in Bahamian waters are detained in Nassau. The repatriation process is lengthy and expensive. Controversies surrounding the presence of Cuban migrants in The Bahamas occasionally arise. The GCOB sees a pragmatic need to maintain a relationship with Cuba to manage repatriation and any concomitant international complications. -------------- Business and Cultural Exchanges -------------- ¶4. (C) Direct Bahamian investment in Cuba is minimal given The Bahamas' exchange controls, limited scope for international investment among Bahamian businesses, and the country's economic dependence on the United States. Third country investment in Cuba via Bahamian financial institutions is likely, but unknown. According to the GCOB, The Bahamas imported less than $5 million in Cuban goods in 2007, with few to no exports. There are currently no bilateral trade agreements in force. ¶5. (C) There is a Havantur office in Nassau and Cubana Airlines offers direct flights to Havana from Nassau. The GCOB appears set to continue past cooperation with Cuba in health and education. The GCOB is reviewing a draft agreement to re-implement a Cuban eye-care program and is in talks with Cuba on a three-year teacher exchange deal. In October 2008, it extended for another year an agreement allowing 40 Cuban teachers to teach special education, Spanish, math and science in The Bahamas. Over the five years of the program, over 60 Cuban teachers reportedly worked in 11 outer islands at the primary and secondary levels. The GCOB is considering resuming a Cuban eye care program, which it stopped for review upon taking office in May 2007. Approximately 600 Bahamians received Cuban-paid health care in Cuba and Cuban doctors provided approximately 1,750 eye exams to Bahamians in The Bahamas in 2007. According to the GCOB, approximately 20,000 Bahamians visit Cuba each year and approximately 150 Bahamian students study in Cuba on scholarship. -------------- Bahamian Support for Human Rights -------------- ¶6. (C) The Bahamas has worked to promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba in the past, though more could be done. The GCOB has supported human rights in international fora, including all U.S.-sponsored country-specific resolutions in the UNGA Third Committee in late 2008, for the third year running. The Bahamas has in the past typically voted with CARICOM and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in international fora and continues to oppose the U.S. embargo of Cuba. -------------- Recommendation for Waiver -------------- ¶7. (C) In light of the extremely close n-going bilateral cooperation between the U.. and The Bahamas in drug interdiction, alien interdiction, anti-terrorism, and border security matters, Post believes The Bahamas should continue to be granted a waiver from implementation of Title III of the Libertad Act. ZUNIGA-BROWN