VZCZCXRO3836
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHKG #0517/01 1821447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011447Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7806
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0587
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2397
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0294
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000517 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (DHOFFMANN) (VDEPIRRO) (WSMITH) 
WHA/EPSC (MROONEY)(FCORNEILLE) 
EEB/IFD/OMA 
WHA/PPC (JGONZALEZ) 
INR/RES (RWARNER) 
INR/I (SMCCORMICK 
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS AND FAS 
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW 
EXPORT IMPORT BANK FOR ANNETTE MARESH 
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, WTRO, XL, JM 
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: JUNE ECONOMIC REVIEW AND A RETURN TO THE IMF 
 
REF: A) KINGSTON 445 
B) KINGSTON 422 
C) KINGSTON 315 
D) KINGSTON 269 
E) KINGSTON 245 
F) KINGSTON 123 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: 
-- The international rating agency Standard and Poor's (S and P) 
maintained Jamaica's long-term foreign and local currency debt 
rating at B- and its short-term debt rating at C. 
-- The Falmouth Port tourism and cruise facility redevelopment 
project has been delayed several months and will not be completed 
until late 2010. 
-- The global economic downturn has reduced Jamaica's trade deficit 
by 32 percent for the first two months of the year. 
-- The Cabinet initiated discussions on International Monetary Fund 
(IMF) assistance, as the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) inches closer 
to a new borrowing relationship with the IMF. 
-- Prime Minister (PM) Bruce Golding met with Pascal Lamy, Director 
General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), seeking to ensure 
that trade preferences for developing countries in the Doha Round 
are not eroded when negotiations resume later this year. 
-- David Smith, former head of the Olint investment scheme, faces a 
new round of charges in Turks and Caicos; and Carlos Hill, former 
boss of the Cash Plus investment scheme, was evicted from his home. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
International Credit Rating 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In a report dated June 11, the S and P has maintained its 
rating of Jamaica's long-term foreign and local currency debt at B- 
and its short-term debt rating at C.  However, it also maintained a 
negative outlook on Jamaica's sovereign debt to reflect "the 
likelihood of a downgrade if policy actions fail to contain the 
ongoing fiscal and external deterioration."  The S and P anticipates 
that Jamaica's economy will worsen, projecting an economic 
contraction of 3.5 percent in 2009, with another fall in real GDP of 
one percent in 2010.  A recovery of one percent of GDP is predicted 
in 2011. 
 
Falmouth Port Redevelopment Delayed 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The redevelopment of the historic Falmouth port is behind 
schedule.  The project, which when completed will accommodate two 
Genesis-class cruise ships, was scheduled to commence in October 
¶2008.  However, seven months later major construction has not begun. 
 The Port Authority of Jamaica has been in talks with the U.S. 
Export Import Bank (Ex-Im) for financing, but now indicates it 
intends to secure financing from Europe.  NOTE: The GOJ says it 
intends to return to Ex-IM soon to seek assistance in financing 
U.S.-made security equipment.  End Note).  The major project was to 
be completed by May 2010, but now will not be ready before December, 
¶2010.  The cruise ships that were to arrive in Jamaica are being 
rerouted for cruises in Mexico. 
Trade Deficit Shrinks 
--------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) A decline in demand for goods and services has helped reduce 
Jamaica's trade deficit.  Preliminary data for the period of January 
to February indicate the gap between imports and exports was USD 625 
million compared to USD 918 million in 2008.  This would indicate 
that the global economic downturn has caused a reduction of USD 292 
million in imports, a 32 percent decrease.  (NOTE: The reduction in 
world oil prices since last year, and to a lesser extent, the 
depreciation of the local currency which made imports more expensive 
and exports cheaper, have been fueling this decline.  End Note). 
 
Return to the IMF 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Cabinet initiated discussions on June 22 regarding 
possible resumption of a borrowing relationship with the IMF (reftel 
 
KINGSTON 00000517  002 OF 002 
 
 
B).  Finance Minister Audley Shaw will present findings on recent 
exploratory discussions with the IMF, and is traveling with a team 
from the Ministry of Finance and Public Service to Washington this 
week to meet with IMF officials.  The trip will be followed by an 
IMF delegation visit to the island in early July.  PM Golding has 
said, "the IMF will not solve our problems", saying "the solution is 
to produce more and import less." 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  The GOJ has been publicly telegraphing its intent 
to return to the IMF, as concerns mount about the country's balance 
of payments and continued pressure on the Net International Reserves 
(NIR).  Many Jamaicans still resent the austerity measures imposed 
on the country by the IMF during the late 1970s and 1980s.  The 
local press has featured editorials weighing the pros and cons of a 
return to the IMF, and this process has allowed the GOJ to manage 
public apprehension of the impending decision.  In reality, the GOJ 
has little choice but to return to the IMF, and appears to be close 
to working out the terms.  GOJ officials tell Emboffs that a final 
decision likely will be announced soon.  End Comment. 
 
WTO Preferences for Developing Countries 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) PM Golding stated in a press release that he had urged 
Director General Lamy of the WTO Organization to ensure that trade 
preferences agreed upon for developing countries during the last 
Doha Round of trade negotiations are not eroded when negotiations 
resume later this year.  Golding met Lamy at the WTO headquarters in 
Geneva on June 15. 
 
¶8. (U) Golding said he urged Lamy to arrange a series of 
mini-Ministerial meetings to work toward narrowing the differences 
on outstanding issues prior to the next Ministerial Meeting in 
November 2009.  Golding said he was assured by Lamy that the WTO 
would continue to assist Jamaica in training and capacity building 
to strengthen the country's ability to take advantage of 
opportunities within the Economic Partnership Agreement and the WTO 
framework. 
 
Ponzi Schemes - Olint and Cash Plus 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) According to the Gleaner newspaper, David Smith, the former 
head of the Olint alternative investment scheme, has been arrested 
on new charges in the Turks and Caicos.  Smith was arrested in 
February on multiple charges including use of forged documents and 
theft (reftel F).  The four new charges include additional counts of 
theft, obtaining money by deception, and two counts of money 
laundering.  He was released on USD 2 million in bail and will 
appear in court on August 5.  The court appointed a liquidator to 
wind down the investment scheme, but it appears there are 
insufficient funds to repay investors who had given Smith millions 
of dollars. 
 
¶10. (U) On June 17, Carlos Hill, the former head of the failed 
alternative investment scheme Cash Plus, was evicted from his 
upscale home in suburban Kingston.  A moving company hired by the 
Office of the Trustee for Bankruptcy removed Hill's possessions and 
furniture.  The eviction had been scheduled to take place two weeks 
ago, but the court granted an extension.  Hill's fraud trial begins 
on July 28; his former financial officer and brother also are 
charged. 
MOSS