US embassy cable - 03SANTODOMINGO5154

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005154 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS USTR, DEPT FOR WHA/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP, ETRD, OVIP, DR 
SUBJECT: FLORIDA GOVERNOR BUSH HITS A HOME RUN ON TRADE 
MISSION TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
 
 
1.  Summary.  Gov. Jeb Bush led more than 200 U.S. business 
representatives to Santo Domingo, September 15-17 for the 
annual &Expo USA8 and a full program to promote Miami's bid 
to house the permanent secretariat of the Free Trade Area of 
the Americas.  He also expressed support for CAFTA docking. 
GODR VP Milagros Bosch and Trade Secretary Guzman expressed 
interest in the Miami proposal and the Governor received 
enthusiastic support from many leading Dominican 
businesspersons.  &Expo USA8 participants had more than 800 
scheduled business contacts and the Dominican 
Republic-Florida task force set up cooperation between 
educational and academic institutions.  The energetic trip 
was very favorably received in Santo Domingo. End Summary. 
 
2.  Florida Governor Jeb Bush accompanied more than 200 U.S. 
business representatives to Santo Domingo on Sept. 15-17 for 
&Expo USA.8  Business representatives, many new to the 
Dominican market, held more than 800 meetings during the 
trip.  Governor Bush, in addition to promoting trade with 
Florida, advocated free trade and Miami's bid to house the 
permanent secretariat of the Free Trade Area of the Americas. 
 The Governor's mastery of Spanish made a deeply favorable 
impression.  Leading Dominican businesspersons were generally 
supportive of his proposal for Miami as FTAA secretariat, 
citing the long-standing and significant trade relationship 
between Florida and the Dominican Republic. 
 
DR ATTRACTED TO FAVORING MIAMI OVER PANAMA FOR FTAA 
HEADQUARTERS 
 
3.  In separate meetings, Vice President Milagros Ortiz Bosch 
(head of government while President Mejia was in Europe) and 
Secretary of Industry and Commerce Sonia Guzman told the 
 
SIPDIS 
Governor that the Dominican Republic had already sent a 
letter expressing support for Panama's bid for the 
secretariat; however each indicated that there was room for 
 
SIPDIS 
"flexibility.8  Bosch reminded the Governor that since the 
final decision would be made by consensus, it could in the 
end favor Miami.  Secretary Guzman said she would intercede 
directly with the Panamanians at an appropriate time, an 
offer that pleased the Governor's team. 
 
CAFTA DOCKING 
 
4.  Dominican business representatives took the opportunity 
to request the Governor's support for a prospective free 
trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and the 
Dominican Republic.  The Governor was positive on the 
subject, calling an FTA a &win-win8 arrangement, while 
making no promises. 
 
NEW INVESTMENT PROJECTS FOR HISPANIOLA 
 
5.  Officials of the American Chamber of Commerce briefed the 
Governor on two projects that will help increase trade 
capacity -- the new Caucedo port operation being developed 
near Las Americas Airport and a joint venture between Grupo M 
of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.  The US$300 million 
Caucedo project will create a new state-of-the-art container 
port facility that aims to increase trade, flexibility, and 
security for Dominican exports.  The joint venture project 
spearheaded by Grupo M aims to create a textile operation 
where factory administration will take place in the Dominican 
province of Dajabon and the manufacturing on the Haitian side 
directly across the border.  The Dominican business community 
expects that these projects as well as other advancements 
will spark an increase in trade and investment with Florida. 
 
HAITI'S AMCHAM PROMOTES THE HERO ACT 
 
6.  Governor Bush met Haitian AmCham Representatives during 
the first day of his visit.  They described Haiti's current 
economic status, requested the Governor's support for the 
Haiti Economic Recovery Opportunity (HERO) Act, which was 
introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and 
Means Committee on February 27, 2003, and officially invited 
him to Haiti's Bicentennial Celebration next year.  The group 
claimed that the HERO Act already had the support of most 
Florida representatives and of the Black Caucus.  They were 
concerned that if it did not pass, the Central American Free 
Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and an FTA with the Dominican 
Republic would &seal Haiti's economic death.8  The Governor 
agreed to look at the bill but reiterated that Haiti's 
current political environment made it difficult to support 
and promote investment in the country. 
 
NEW DOMINICAN-FLORIDAN TIES 
 
7.  On September 16 the Governor witnessed the signing of two 
educational agreements establishing ties between Florida 
universities and Dominican schools.  The first was between 
the Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL) and Ponificia 
Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM).  The 
partnership will create a prototype for the study and 
development of international and comparative law on topics of 
immediate concern to the Caribbean.  The second was between 
Florida International University (FIU) and Universidad 
Iberoamericana (UNIBE).  The agreement is part of the efforts 
by the Dominican Republic/Florida Task Force, a cooperative 
effort of the Fundacion Global Democracia y Desarollo 
(FUNGLODE) and FIU,s Latin America and Caribbean Center. 
 
8.  Press coverage was extensive.  Bush trumped Mejia's 
commercial contacts in Madrid on the top front page of the 
government-owned "Listin Diario" of Sept 17: "Jeb Bush, 
Viyella and Corripio Emphasize Dominican Investment Climate" 
(head of the Dominican Council of Private Enterprise and 
Elena Viyella and noted businessman Jose Luis Corripio were 
speaking in Spain).  "El Pais" carried an interior piece with 
a photo of the Governor toasting Vice President Ortiz Bosch: 
"Governor Jeb Bush Comes to Improve Economic Relations." A 
full-page spread of photos from the Ambassador's reception 
appeared on the front of the social section in "Hoy" entitled 
"Governor Jeb Bush Emphasizes the Work of Dominicans in 
Florida." 
 
9.  Comment.  The trip was an energetic and well-publicized 
success, with more than 800 meetings (arranged by the US 
Foreign Commercial Service) for the visiting trade 
delegation.  Governor Bush received warm and enthusiastic 
support for Miami's bid as the permanent secretariat for the 
FTAA and in return offered his support for an FTA between the 
United States and the Dominican Republic.  Bush's favorable 
views about the importance of US-Dominican and 
Florida-Dominican relations undoubtably boosted the US image 
in the eyes of the Dominican public.  End Comment. 
HERTELL