Gulfport, Pascagoula ports call Cuba trip a success

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sat, Jan. 03, 2004

Gulfport, Pascagoula ports call Cuba trip a success
Face-to-face visits strengthen ties
By DAVID TORTORANO
THE SUN HERALD

Officials from the ports of Gulfport and Pascagoula felt they got what they expected out of their recent trip to Cuba.

Don Allee, director of the Mississippi State Port at Gulfport, came back with a guarantee that Cuba will use Gulfport as much this year as last. Pascagoula received "every indication" it will continue to play a large role in trade with Cuba.

Allee and Rafael Quesada, trade development manager for Pascagoula's port, were among 250 people at the event hosted by Alimport, the agency in Cuba that handles foodstuffs.

Allee said there were port officials from Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia, as well as representatives from more than 100 firms at the event just before Christmas.

Before leaving for Cuba, Allee said he hoped to return with a guarantee that Gulfport would be used as much in 2004 as in 2003. He came back with a letter of intent in which Alimport agrees to move the same volume of cargo "or higher."
(snip/...)

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/business/7623665.htm


British travellers living it up with a moment of Cuban cigar madness.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Our Cuba relations, under Bush, are truly screwed

This wouldn't have happened with Bill Clinton:

Help for twins' parents remains stalled in Cuba


Published in the Home News Tribune 1/03/04
By MICHELLE SAHN
STAFF WRITERNEW BRUNSWICK: Beatriz Alvarez gave birth to twins on New Year's Day, and the new mom was hoping her own mother would come to New Brunswick from Cuba to help care for the babies for a few months.
But despite letters from Alvarez's doctor and her congressman, as well as a bit of intervention from Greek and Swiss officials, the grandmother must stay home.

Alvarez's mother, a physical therapist in Cuba, has been denied a visa to visit the United States.

So, Alvarez and her husband, Alfredo Rios, are trying to figure out how to juggle early-morning feedings and late-night diaper changing with her work schedule and his advanced-degree studies, which include teaching duties. (snip)

(snip) Alvarez and Rios said they are unsure of the official reason for the denial.

They said they heard it was because of fears that 59-year-old Beatriz Carbonell will stay in the United States, but said she has no intention of remaining here because she is a successful therapist who has spent her entire life in Cuba.

Carbonell has visited other countries for professional reasons over the years and has always returned to the island, they said.
(snip/...)

http://www.thnt.com/thnt/story/0,21282,881087,00.html

To make sure this is clear, the permission is being denied HERE, not in Cuba.

[Mika]

2. Hypocrisy?

From the New Brunswick story link,

Alvarez and Rios said they are unsure of the official reason for the denial.
They said they heard it was because of fears that 59-year-old Beatriz Carbonell will stay in the United States..

Talk about a twisted policy. If Ms Carbonell were smuggled in and wanted to stay in the USA, then, no problem.


This story is very strange because Cubans come to Miami for visits to their relatives all the time, and then return to their homes and families in Cuba.


It goes to show that this insane standoff with Cuba should come to an end.


Sadly, only ONE candidate for
US president openly states that he
would end this unjust and insane
policy against Cubans AND Americans.

That candidate is Dennis Kucinich.

-The Democratic Presidential Candidates on Cuba-
http://www.lawg.org/pages/new%20pages/Misc/prez-candidates1.htm