Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PANAMA584
2009-07-23 21:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Panama
Cable title:
PANAMA DATA FOR U.S. BIENNIAL CARIBBEAN BASIN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHZP #0584 2042117 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 232117Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3611 INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS PANAMA 000584
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PASS TO USITC-LYN M.SCHLITT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON OTRA PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA DATA FOR U.S. BIENNIAL CARIBBEAN BASIN
INVESTMENT SURVEY
REF: STATE 60543
UNCLAS PANAMA 000584
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PASS TO USITC-LYN M.SCHLITT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON OTRA PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA DATA FOR U.S. BIENNIAL CARIBBEAN BASIN
INVESTMENT SURVEY
REF: STATE 60543
1. (U) This cable is in response to reftel.
2. (SBU) Post obtained from the Ministry of Commerce and
Industries a list of every Panamanian business that exported
under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) as
amended by the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA).
All 145 businesses were called by phone and we emailed all
businesses from which we were able to obtain email addresses.
We received data from only six businesses. The data are in
the following format:
A. NAME OF COMPANY
B. INVESTMENT AMOUNT
C. IS THIS A NEW INVESTMENT OR EXPANSION INVESTMENT
D. TYPE OF PRODUCT TO BE EXPORTED
E. ESTIMATED VALUE OF EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES
F. WOULD PROJECT HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED TN THE ABSENCE OF
CBERA/CBTPA
1) VERBA ODREC S.A. B. $500,000 C. EXPANSION INVESTMENT D.
PINEAPPLES E. $500,000 F. YES
2) HACIENDA LOMA LINDA S.A. B. NO ANSWER C. EXPANSION
INVESTMENT D. ORCHIDS CUT FLOWERS E. $125,000 F. NO
3) AZUCARERA NACIONAL S.A. B. $9,862,000 C. EXPANSION
INVESTMENT D. RAW CANE SUGAR ON BULK E. $3,518,000 F. YES
4) VIDRIOS PANAMENOS B. $13,753,177 C. EXPANSION INVESTMENT
D. GLASS PRODUCTS E. 4,4000,000 F. NO ANSWER
5) CENTRAL AZUCARERO DE ALANJE S.A. B. $1,264,977 C.
EXPANSION INVESTMENT D. RAW CANE SUGAR ON BULK E.$4,000,000
F. NO ANSWER
6) FARALLON AQUACULTURE S.A. B. $1,616,584 C. EXPANSION
INVESTMENT D. SHRIMP E) $4,671 F. NO ANSWER
3. (SBU) The GOP strongly believes that the CBERA promotes
Panamanian exports to the United States and promotes job
creation in Panama. However, there is a lack of hard data
for any broad conclusions; the data above are too limited to
make statistical inferences. However, the self-reported
estimated value of exports to the United States for just
these six companies, over twelve million dollars, is a
substantial percentage of the $377 million in Panamanian
exports to the United States in 2008.
GILMOUR
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PASS TO USITC-LYN M.SCHLITT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON OTRA PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA DATA FOR U.S. BIENNIAL CARIBBEAN BASIN
INVESTMENT SURVEY
REF: STATE 60543
1. (U) This cable is in response to reftel.
2. (SBU) Post obtained from the Ministry of Commerce and
Industries a list of every Panamanian business that exported
under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) as
amended by the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA).
All 145 businesses were called by phone and we emailed all
businesses from which we were able to obtain email addresses.
We received data from only six businesses. The data are in
the following format:
A. NAME OF COMPANY
B. INVESTMENT AMOUNT
C. IS THIS A NEW INVESTMENT OR EXPANSION INVESTMENT
D. TYPE OF PRODUCT TO BE EXPORTED
E. ESTIMATED VALUE OF EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES
F. WOULD PROJECT HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED TN THE ABSENCE OF
CBERA/CBTPA
1) VERBA ODREC S.A. B. $500,000 C. EXPANSION INVESTMENT D.
PINEAPPLES E. $500,000 F. YES
2) HACIENDA LOMA LINDA S.A. B. NO ANSWER C. EXPANSION
INVESTMENT D. ORCHIDS CUT FLOWERS E. $125,000 F. NO
3) AZUCARERA NACIONAL S.A. B. $9,862,000 C. EXPANSION
INVESTMENT D. RAW CANE SUGAR ON BULK E. $3,518,000 F. YES
4) VIDRIOS PANAMENOS B. $13,753,177 C. EXPANSION INVESTMENT
D. GLASS PRODUCTS E. 4,4000,000 F. NO ANSWER
5) CENTRAL AZUCARERO DE ALANJE S.A. B. $1,264,977 C.
EXPANSION INVESTMENT D. RAW CANE SUGAR ON BULK E.$4,000,000
F. NO ANSWER
6) FARALLON AQUACULTURE S.A. B. $1,616,584 C. EXPANSION
INVESTMENT D. SHRIMP E) $4,671 F. NO ANSWER
3. (SBU) The GOP strongly believes that the CBERA promotes
Panamanian exports to the United States and promotes job
creation in Panama. However, there is a lack of hard data
for any broad conclusions; the data above are too limited to
make statistical inferences. However, the self-reported
estimated value of exports to the United States for just
these six companies, over twelve million dollars, is a
substantial percentage of the $377 million in Panamanian
exports to the United States in 2008.
GILMOUR