US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1825

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001825 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/EPSC, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN 
STATE FOR EB/TRA (DHAYWOOD) AND INL/LP 
TREASURY FOR DDOUGLASS 
COMMERCE FOR AVANVUREN, MSIEGELMAN 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT, ETRD, ECPS, EINV, PGOV, PINS, KMCA, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAS CSI MOVING AHEAD 
 
REF: A) TEGUCIGALPA 646 
 
1. Following a week-long visit to review progress, a 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS/CBP) team reports that 
GOH support for the Container Security Initiative (CSI) 
program remains strong and preparations at Puerto Cortes 
continue to move forward.  Team leader Mark Reich and Jacob 
Aguilar briefed EconChief on 19 August, expressing great 
satisfaction with the excellent responsiveness of the GOH 
leadership during the visit.  The GOH "bent over backwards" 
for the team, and any issues that needed to be resolved were 
referred to the capital and "often fixed within a half an 
hour."  Office space within the port for the future CSI 
resident team is nearing completion. 
 
2. Personnel:  Reich said that at this rate, a CSI resident 
team of five (one customs analyst, three customs officers, 
and one Special Agent) could be on the ground as soon as 
November.  Any permanent placements in-country will require 
completion of the NSDD 38 process in Washington, but Reich 
indicated that once the program is ready to begin, DHS would 
likely approve sending a TDY team until the permanent 
positions are approved.  In the meantime, DHS will also be 
sending an administrative expert to begin preparing for ICASS 
and procurement issues. 
 
3. Critical Issues at the Port:  During its visit, the team 
noted a number of shortcomings at the port, some of which 
must be addressed for the CSI program to take effect, other 
which are not required but would improve port operations.  In 
the former category, the team noted the need for better 
secure storage of containers once they have been inspected 
but before they are loaded onto ships bound for the U.S., to 
prevent any contamination.  For similar reasons, a standard 
operating procedure must be crafted that grants Honduran law 
enforcement access to containers prior to inspections, but 
that places inspected and sealed containers off-limits to 
being re-opened. 
 
4. Other Issues at the Port:  Other items, such as chaotic 
traffic patterns, are not critical to CSI implementation, but 
are sure to become a headache for all involved once the GOH 
fully implements its planned 100 percent gamma-ray scanning 
of all containerized traffic.  That program is a GOH Customs 
initiative, intended to crack down on smuggling, and not a 
CSI requirement (though CSI does require access on an 
as-needed basis to non-intrusive inspection equipment).  The 
team noted that there is a lack of technical skills within 
the GOH customs inspectors responsible for reviewing these 
scanned images.  Without having manifest lists on hand or any 
training in image interpretation, these officials know 
neither what they are seeing nor what they should be seeing 
in a given container.  To remedy this, the DHS team is 
considering bringing a capacity building team to the port 
during the next two months to conduct basic customs 
inspection techniques training. 
 
5. Some U.S. and Honduran textile factories ("maquilas") 
utilizing this port have expressed concerns that their goods 
now take an extra day to clear Honduran customs.  They claim 
that bottlenecks in the scanning process are exacerbated when 
technicians are untrained.  This is especially important to 
companies relying upon geographic proximity to the United 
States as a competitive advantage.  DHS/CBP officials note, 
however, that a successful CSI program will allow inspected 
and sealed containers to avoid delays of up to three days in 
U.S. ports while awaiting CBP inspections there.  Thus, while 
it might cost a day more in Puerto Cortes, overall the CSI 
program should save exporters valuable time in reaching their 
final market in the U.S. 
 
6. Comment:  Comment:  Post is encouraged by the overall 
positive assessment of the CSI team and the excellent 
cooperation offered by the GOH.  Our primary concern is that 
custom officials receive sufficient training to enable them 
to operate the new equipment and systems associated with the 
CSI program.  We also acknowledge concerns about 
vulnerabilities at the port, including allegations of 
corruption.  The presence of CSI officers could and should 
influence GOH customs officers to perform in a more 
professional and competent manner.  End Comment. 
 
7.  The visiting DHS team did not have an opportunity to 
clear this cable. 
 
Williard 
Williard