VZCZCXRO0343
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHWN #0045 0241749
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241749Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6014
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CAR FOR ALAIN NORMAN 
ALSO FOR DS/ATA AND DS/IP/WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC PTER PREL ECON EINV CVIS XL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR GARNERS POSITIVE PRESS IN ST. KITTS AND 
NEVIS 
 
REF: 07 BRIDGETOWN 1256 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: During her January 10-11 visit to St. Kitts 
and Nevis, the Ambassador again drew attention to USG 
contributions to the Federation by attending two events at 
the Hamilton House in Nevis, and addressing a graduating 
Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) Program class.  As with the 
Ambassador's last visit to St. Kitts and Nevis in Fall 2007, 
this visit received extensive press interest and once again 
focused attention on our continued commitment to the region. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Ambassador Ourisman traveled to Nevis on January 10th 
to attend celebrations for the opening of a permanent exhibit 
at the Hamilton house, entitled "Alexander Hamilton: The Man 
who Made Modern America."  Consisting of panels provided by 
the Gilder Lehrman Institute in New York, the exhibit was 
made possible by the Embassy's previous donation of $40,000 
USD to the museum last September (reftel).  The Ambassador 
spoke at the "preview party" for the exhibition, highlighting 
Hamilton's contributions to the American political system as 
well as his roots in Nevis.  Premier Joseph Parry, Deputy 
Premier Hensley Daniel, and Ambassador to the United States 
Izben Williams all attended. 
 
¶3. (U) The Ambassador also attended the official opening of 
the exhibit on January 11th. Deputy Premier Hensley Daniel 
used the occasion to formerly award four scholarships from 
the Alexander Hamilton Scholarship Fund to Nevisian students. 
 After the ceremony, the Ambassador gave a radio and 
television interview, explaining the contributions of 
Alexander Hamilton and his importance to both Nevis and the 
United States. 
 
¶4. (U) In addition to the Hamilton house events, the 
Ambassador attended an ATA graduation ceremony, just as she 
did on her last official visit to St. Kitts (reftel).  The 
Diplomatic Security Service sponsored an Anti-Terrorism 
Assistance (ATA) Program training course in St. Kitts from 
January 7-11, 2008, concentrating on fraudulent document 
detection.  Thirty participants from police, immigration and 
customs agencies from six island nations participated, 
including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts 
and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 
Ambassador Ourisman presented the keynote address and 
Minister of National Security Dwyer Astaphan also spoke at 
the ceremony.  Both television and radio media covered the 
ATA graduation event and interviewed the Ambassador and the 
RSO. 
 
USG Still Looking Good in SKN 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Comment: Following the Ambassador's successful trip to 
St. Kitts and Nevis for national day in September, and other 
recent events in which the Embassy has donated books to 
various schools in the Federation, this latest trip once 
again shined the spotlight on United States re-engagement in 
the Eastern Caribbean.  The events at the Hamilton house 
provided a context in which to highlight the close cultural 
and historic ties between St. Kitts/Nevis and the United 
States, while the ATA graduation once again demonstrated the 
USG's ongoing commitment to law enforcement and security 
cooperation in the region.  End Comment. 
OURISMAN