(Trinidad Express) In a new twist regarding the hosting of the fourth Caricom/Cuba Summit, the US Embassy in Trinidad is reporting that the request for a special licence by hotel chain Hilton to accommodate the conference was received a little over a week before the event and was not declined but was still “pending”.
The summit, which is being held today at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain, and is being attended by Cuban President Raul Castro and Caribbean heads of state, was originally supposed to be held at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port of Spain.
On Tuesday, Hilton Trinidad general manager Ali Khan read to the Express a statement from Hilton Worldwide, which stated that the US-based company was subject to restrictions regarding the trade embargo between the US and Cuba, and provision of services to Cuba without a special licence could result in “significant civil and criminal penalties”.
The legislation in question is the Helms-Burton Act, signed in 1996 by then US President Bill Clinton, which placed further restrictions upon US citizens and companies doing business with or in Cuba.
Hilton Worldwide stated that though working with appropriate governmental agencies in the US and Trinidad and Tobago, the US Government informed them that the licence would not be granted for the summit.
Embassy acting public affairs officer Alexander McLaren, however, told the Express yesterday via e-mail and telephone interview that, to his understanding, the licence is pending (though the matter is moot, with the conference on today) and the only reason the Hilton did not get it is because they had not applied on time.
He reported that the Hilton application for a licence to host Cuban nationals was dated November 23 and the Office of Foreign Assets Control—a department of the US Treasury—received the application on November 28. He said the hosting of Cuban nationals at the summit was a complex issue that was being examined and “which will likely take time to resolve”.
McLaren added that the US values its relationship with this country, recognises its importance as a leader in the region, looked forward to continued productive engagement “on issues of interest to both of our nations”.
Questioned about the application yesterday, including when it was forwarded from Hilton Trinidad to Hilton Worldwide, Khan said it was the parent company that applied for the licence and he would not be able to comment further than their initial comment.
Foreign Affairs Minister Suruj Rambachan, speaking on the issue following the arrival of Castro yesterday at the old airport terminal in Piarco, said, “The US, I suppose, are within their rights to carry out what they have done in terms of the Helms-Burton law, having their tentacles stretching out here in Trinidad and Tobago as well as the Caribbean.”
He noted that they had the alternative arrangement with NAPA in place and the Hyatt Regency, Marriott and Crowne Plaza also could not have been used due to the same restriction. “And I think eventually we will have to see in a wider global sense and as part of the community of the Caribbean that you cannot keep a policy of exclusion for too long,” he added.
Questioned if there was a conflict between allegiance to Cuba and links with the US, Rambachan commented: “Not at all. We have always had relationships with Cuba. As I said we have voted alongside other countries in support of Cuba at the UN. So there’s no conflict at all. Our relations with the United States of America continue and you see we respected their right to ask the Hilton not to host the function.”
He added that no restrictions will deter Trinidad and Tobago from achieving the best relationships with countries.
Questioned whether this country supported the call for the US to end the trade embargo against Cuba, Rambachan responded: “This Government has always voted at the UN with the respect to the removal of any kinds of embargoes that affect the well-being and the humanity of people.”
Last night on CNC3 television, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she will not get involved in United States foreign policy.
Persad-Bissessar made the statement yesterday when questioned at the airport about the Hilton Trinidad’s decision to deny permission for the hosting of the conference.
“They seem to have some kind of regulation. On our enquiries, I am advised that they have some kind of regulation which prevents any US-owned asset or partly-owned asset from accommodating Cubans. It is clearly a foreign policy of the US and I will not comment on their foreign policy. They are a sovereign nation and they are entitled to govern as they see fit,” Persad-Bissessar said.
