Ja: Bush ain' Clinton

JAMAICAN BUSINESS interests are carefully watching the current SuperClubs imbroglio as the United States Government takes a tougher line on the Fidel Castro-led Cuba by invoking the powers of the Helms-Burton act.

The law is designed to discourage foreign companies from investing in Cuba on properties confiscated from Americans.

"The Ministry (of Foreign Affairs) has not received any complaint yet from SuperClubs and preliminary enquiries have revealed that we do not need to be involved at this time. If it becomes necessary, then we would make representation through diplomatic channels," Wilton Dyer, information officer at the Ministry, told The Gleaner yesterday.

In the meantime, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) has pledged to continue to support the SuperClubs chain.

"We have not discussed the issue yet but I was rather surprised that the United States would take such a position. Why is this happening now? What will happen to those European interests who have investments in Cuba?" Godfrey Dyer, the president of JHTA, argued.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton avoided a possible trade war with Europe by issuing a series of six-month waivers that prevented Cuban-Americans from taking their property claims to court under Helms-Burton. This act allowed U.S. citizens who were Cuban citizens before the 1959 revolution to file suit in U.S. courts against foreign companies or individuals who 'traffic' in expropriated property.

Under Clinton, the State Department largely ignored its legal mandate to deny visas to executives of foreign companies that ran afoul of Helms-Burton, except for three cases.

Mr. Dyer is hoping for an amicable solution.

"But in the interim, they have our full support in whatever way we can render assistance," Mr. Dyer said.

It was reported in the media yesterday that the Bush administration notified the Issa-owned resort SuperClubs that its top officers will be denied entry into the United States because of investments the company made on property confiscated from Americans in Cuba.