Way cleared for trading between Trinidad & Tobago and Cuba (CARICOM bill)

[Mika]

Caricom/Cuba Bill passed
Way cleared for trading between TT and Cuba
Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday yesterday asked in Parliament if any TT businesses would be punished by the United States for trading or having dealings with Cuba under the Caricom/Cuba Bill.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/stories.php?article_id=31071

The US is TT’s largest investor.

The Caricom/Cuba bill which was passed in the House of Representatives yesterday sets up the institutional framework for increased trade in goods and services between Caricom countries and Cuba.

But Panday noted that there has been an economic blockade by the US since 1962. The embargo he said, had "extraterritorial effect". For example, he told the House, the blockade prevented ships from a third country which sail to and from Cuba, from docking in the US within six months (of going to Cuba).

The "iron-clad blockade" contained other provisions which he said, could have a detrimental effect. He cited the stipulation that third countries are forbidden from exporting any product to the US which contained raw materials from Cuba. Third countries, he added, were also prohibited from selling goods or services to Cuba which use US technology, or US products in its manufacture, Panday said.

US companies which operated or had subsidiaries in third countries also faced a range of prohibitions in terms of investing, dealing with companies, banks etc which had interests or trade with Cuba.

So much for the incorrect mewling from the "but Cuba can trade with the rest of the world" crowd. The US's Torricelli Act and the US Helms-Burton law prevents open trade between Cuba and corporations of other nations.

Good to see that CARICOM is taking action against the US's imperialist economic/trade war against Cuba. The Caribbean nations and Latin Americas are rising up against the US, slowly but surely.

[Judi Lynn]

1. This is courageous for these islands, Mika. Very good news.

It's not as if they haven't had constant threats from Roger Noriega, and others in the State Department. They have breathed down their necks, monitored all their transactions with Cuba, sent messages to their political figures through the U.S. ambassadors, and even a few nasty visits in person to add teeth to their heavy handed pronouncements.

It was Bermuda, or some other island which had arranged to sell Cuba its old fleet of buses, as it was replacing them, and got notified by either Roger Noriega or Otto Reich, after a series of threats via the local U.S. ambassador, that they wouldn't be wise to do that, and ended up having to back out of the deal.

Having had that door slammed shut, Cuba had to do with some home-made buses, "camelos" which are very familiar to Cuba travelers, of course.

[Mika]

2. I remember that Bermuda incident, Judi

I think that Bermuda was going to give some of their older fleet to Cuba and the thug Noriega issued threats of sanction against Bermuda. Bermuda was showing appreciation to Cuba because Cuba, as usual, had helped in hurricane relief with meds and drs as quick as a wink when Bermuda needed help a few years past, plus Bermuda has had help from Cuba in reducing their AIDS epidemic as well as AIDS treatment w/ Drs and drugs.

The thuggery of the _Bush admin is really beginning to blow back at the US by the membership of CARICOM. Its about time.

[Divernan]

3. Trinidad/Tobago on a roll; qualified for 2006 Soccer World Cup

This is the first time this two island country has qualified for the World Cup and the islands are so ecstatic they declared a national holiday to celebrate the achievement. Now they're taking on Bush & his bully boys. I wish them success in both their ventures. As far as the World Cup goes, I wish them a good draw for the first round of games. As for trading with Cuba, I think Chavez and Venezuela will be very supportive of this move and counteract any petty moves by Bush.

[JohnyCanuck]

4. Trinidad has oil and natural gas resources

Might not take much for Bushitler and his uncle, the sneering Dick, to decide the Trinis need liberating too.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Minister from Cuba to address Waikato conference (New Zealand)

Minister from Cuba to address Waikato conference
25 November 2005
By YVONNE TAHANA

A Cuban minister will make a rare public address at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education, which opens tomorrow.

The conference, hosted by Te Wananga o Aotearoa at Waikato University, will open with a speech by Cuban Education Minister Luis Gomez Gutierrez.

Communist Cuba has been shunned by much of the world since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. But the wananga has links with Cuba which came under scrutiny before the ongoing review of its operations.

Act MP Ken Shirley claimed in Parliament the wananga had enrolled students and staff in a Cuban literacy and numeracy course to get more money from the Government.

Wananga chief executive Rongo Wetere said the institution was interested in results, not politics. While many New Zealand kids left school without being able to read and write, Cuba had close to 100 per cent literacy rates, he said.
(snip/...)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3491677a7694,00.html