VZCZCXYZ0041
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKG #1730 3341625
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 301625Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5674
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0090

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 001730 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CCA 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - JTILGHMAN 
WHA/EPSC - LMARTILOTTA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2017 
TAGS: TRAD ETTC PREL JM XL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: RESPONSE TO CUBA LIBERTAD ACT TITLE III 
REQUEST 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 158768 
     ¶B. KINGSTON 1681 
     ¶C. 06 KINGSTON 2377 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs James T. Heg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
) 
 
¶1. (C) Post has provided responses to questions listed in 
reftel A. Post is unaware of any Jamaican investments in Cuba 
or any Jamaican firm with a commercial presence in Cuba. 
However, Jamaicans generally oppose U.S. policy towards Cuba, 
which hampers post's efforts to gather accurate investment 
data. 
 
¶2. (SBU) There is no direct bilateral trade agreement between 
the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and Cuba.  There is a 
CARICOM-Cuba Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement signed 
July 5, 2000 of which Jamaica is a member.  Cuba remains a 
significant export market for Jamaica, with exports of USD 9 
million for 2006.  Imports for the same period are USD 2.8 
million.  Jamaican exports include pig feed, garments and 
scrap metal.  Imports from Cuba include copper, cement, clay 
construction materials, and cigars.  The GOJ, through the 
Export-Import Bank, has an established line of credit with 
Banco Nacional de Cuba in order to facilitate exports. 
 
¶3. (C) Although Cuban political involvement in Jamaica was 
strong at one time, now it has all but disappeared.  The 
Cuban government still provides significant social support 
through educational scholarships and the occasional 
deployment of medical personnel.  The medical program "Mision 
Milagro" (Miracle Mission) provides free medical eye care in 
Cuba to Caribbean residents.  The service is used by people 
with cataracts or other treatable eye conditions.  Cuba also 
provided over four million energy-saving compact fluorescent 
bulbs to households since February, 2006.  (Note: the public 
relations value for Cuba of the light bulb exchange was muted 
as it is the subject of an ongoing GOJ corruption 
investigation under which the former Prime Minister Portia 
Simpson Miller (PSM) accrued a bill of USD 3.95  million for 
the distribution of the bulbs  It appears GOJ officials 
awarded lucrative contracts to distribute the bulbs to two 
firms recently incorporated by close friends or relatives. 
The matter had been turned over the Director of Public 
Prosecutions and the Fraud Investigation Unit.  End note). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Post is unaware of any recent measures taken by the 
GOJ to advance democracy, human rights, and fundamental 
freedoms in Cuba.  Post has no evidence that the GOJ has 
substantially changed its policies or actions toward Cuba in 
the past year.  Jamaica continues to maintain cordial 
diplomatic relations with Cuba, its close geographical 
neighbor. Prime Minister Bruce Golding, of the recently 
elected Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) led government, released a 
statement on September 12 saying Jamaica would continue its 
diplomatic relations with Cuba.  Golding stated, "both 
countries could maintain and deepen their relations on the 
basis of mutual respect and recognition."  Golding made the 
statement during a meeting with Esteban Laxo Hernadez, Vice 
President of the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba. 
Golding added, "it was the prerogative of the Cuban people to 
determine their own internal arrangement and given Jamaica's 
commitment to a pluralistic democracy, he was satisfied that 
both countries could expand their relations with due respect 
for those rights." 
 
¶5. (U) Jamaica has a diplomatic presence in Havana.  To 
post's knowledge, there have been no recent official visits 
of Cuban or Jamaican representatives.  Esteban Hernandez 
invited PM Golding to Cuba during their September 12 meeting, 
and Golding accepted, although no date for the visit has been 
announced. 
 
¶6. (C) Post continues to believe that suspension of the right 
to bring action in U.S. courts against entities and nationals 
trafficking in confiscated properties in Cuba is necessary to 
U.S. interests.  Singling out Jamaican entities or nationals 
for prosecution would be counterproductive in achieving other 
USG objectives.  In post,s view, proceeding with the 
implementation of Title III of the Libertad Act would 
seriously complicate, and perhaps even compromise, our 
efforts in areas of agreement.  Actions against Jamaican 
nationals would likely provoke a strong response from GOJ. 
HEG