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.

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Bahamas-Cuba Diplomatic Relations
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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.

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Business and Cultural Exchanges
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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.

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Bahamian Support for Human Rights
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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.

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Recommendation for Waiver
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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