VZCZCXRO0386
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHKG #0445/01 1551138
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041138Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7695
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000445 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BPREMONT) (VDEPIRRO) (WSMITH) 
WHA/EPSC (MROONEY)(FCORNEILLE) 
EEB/ESC/IEC/EPC (MMcMANUS) 
INR/RES (RWARNER) 
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS AND FAS 
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW 
USTDA FOR NATHAN YOUNG AND PATRICIA ARRIAGADA 
OPIC FOR ALISON GERMAK 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECON ENRG SENV EFIN EAIR EMIN ASEC SOCI ETRD TRSY
OPIC, AID, OAS, IBRD, XL, JM 
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: MAY ECONOMIC REVIEW 2009 
 
REF: A) KINGSTON 315 
B) KINGSTON 269 
C) KINGSTON 245 
D) KINGSTON 223 
E) 08 KINGSTON 755 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: 
-- Plans for large-scale casinos face delays from tightened credit 
markets and a slow legislative process. 
-- Ministry of Energy will rewrite its 2006 National Energy Policy 
to reflect changes needed in the sector with an eye to reducing 
dependence on oil imports. 
-- The sugar estate divestiture hits another snag as assets may be 
divided among several different investors. 
-- Carlos Hill, the former head of failed ponzi scheme Cash Plus, 
received a two week reprieve from being evicted from his home, but 
will still face fraud charges in July. 
-- The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) confirmed on June 1 that there 
were two cases of the H1N1 virus in Jamaica, but both patients have 
recovered. 
End Summary. 
 
Casino Delays 
------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In April 2008 Prime Minister (PM) Bruce Golding announced 
plans to bring three major casinos to the north coast.  The global 
economic downturn dried up interest in major construction projects 
and the GOJ has yet to take the proposed legislation to Parliament 
that would provide for regulating the casino industry and providing 
the legal framework for issuing of casino licenses.  Golding said 
the legislation should be introduced by June. 
 
¶3. (U) The Gleaner newspaper reported on May 27 that Celebration 
Jamaica, which signed a deal with the GOJ to develop a 2,080 room 
hotel and casino, is having difficulty in securing financing, 
although Dennis Constanzo, the President of Celebration, told 
reporters the project would go forward.  Harmony Cove, the casino 
project to be built by the private equity group Tavistock Group, is 
said to be proceeding.  It has plans for 4,500 rooms as well as 
villas and an arts and entertainment complex (reftels). 
Energy Plan Rewritten 
--------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Marcia Forbes, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of 
Energy, announced on May 5 that the GOJ would rewrite the 2006 
National Energy Policy.  She said there is substantial amount of 
work to do because the policy is very outdated, but a six-week 
timeline would be set for completing the report.  The review of the 
policy will highlight the need to include renewable energy and 
carbon trading.  The finalized document will be presented to 
Parliament for debate and final approval. 
 
Sugar Divestiture - Ethanol Impact 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) The GOJ's efforts to sell off the Sugar Company of Jamaica's 
(SCJ) assets and land as a single entity have failed.  The GOJ had 
hoped the loss-making parastatal could be sold in whole to an 
ethanol producer.  Brazil-based Infinity-Bio energy made multiple 
attempts to raise the USD 125 million in requisite funds to close 
the deal, but was unsuccessful (reftel E).  After the first failed 
attempt by Infinity, the GOJ issued a second request for proposals. 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) According to the Gleaner Newspaper, the SCJ's assets, which 
include five state-owned sugar factories, may be divided and sold to 
various investors.  A joint bid from the Hussey family and unnamed 
U.S. investors are interested in the Long Pond and Hampden Estates 
in Trelawny; U.S. based Energen Corporation is interested in the 
Petrojam Ethanol facility and Bernard Lodge, Innswood, and Monymusk 
estates in Clarendon; an Italian entity Eridana Sadam is seeking 
Frome estate in Westmoreland for production of granulated sugar; and 
local investor Fred Jones, in partnership with Seprod Limited, may 
purchase the Duckenfield estate in St Thomas. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Splitting up the SCJ assets has been under discussion since 
the Infinity deal fell through in December.  COMMENT: Dividing the 
assets may lose the economies of scale to enable major domestic 
ethanol production on the island.  The SCJ divestiture has gone 
through many stages, so it is likely that this deal is far from 
 
KINGSTON 00000445  002 OF 002 
 
 
done.  END COMMENT.  The potential investors will still undergo due 
diligence reviews by the GOJ and terms of each specific purchase 
will need to be negotiated. 
 
Ponzi Scheme Boss, Spared Eviction 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Observer newspaper reported on June 2 that Carlos Hill, 
the former head of the failed ponzi scheme Cash Plus, will be spared 
eviction for two weeks. Court appointed trustees and liquidators 
along with bailiffs and police sought to evict Hill and take 
possession of the property.  Hill, claiming he would be homeless if 
evicted, was able to secure an injunction "on humanitarian grounds" 
to temporarily stay in the house.  The upscale home has been put up 
for sale along with some of the other assets held by Hill and Cash 
Plus, in order to recover some of the millions of dollars owed to 
depositors and creditors of the scheme.  Hill, his brother Bertram, 
and chief financial officer Peter Wilson were arrested last year and 
face fraud charges.  They have since been released from jail on bond 
and are to appear in Court in July. 
 
H1N1 Virus: Two Cases Confirmed 
------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) The Minister of Health Rudyard Spencer told a press briefing 
on June 1 that there was no cause for concern after two cases of the 
H1N1 virus had been confirmed in Jamaica.  He said the two persons 
who had arrived from New York on May 19 had since recovered.  No 
other cases have emerged, and the Ministry said it has adequate 
supplies of anti-viral drugs.  The GOJ said as a precaution, it is 
checking airline passengers that arrive for evidence of flu-like 
symptoms. 
HEG