Increasingly, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor has become Florida’s go-to governmental person when it comes to supporting the normalization of relations with Cuba. From humanitarian to economic to geopolitical, the reasons are more than manifest that America’s Cold War approach to Cuba has been an abject failure–and that no place in this country benefits more from a policy overhaul than the Sunshine State and the Tampa Bay region.
The Tampa Democrat has underscored that “Tampa Bay can be the gateway to Cuba and Latin America.” Opportunity–inevitably accompanied by start-up caveats–beckons.
Earlier this week, Congresswoman Castor, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Tampa International Airport hosted a conference on the changing reality of U.S.-Cuba relations in the aftermath of President Barack Obama’s push to restore diplomatic relations. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker gave the keynote address that defended the president’s policy-change decision and put Cuba in the context of the U.S. needing to be smart and pragmatic about expanding exports in “a world more competitive than ever.”
The panel discussions yielded updates on relaxed travel restrictions shy of formal American tourism and more liberalized business exchanges–as well as the stark realities of being in a period of sometimes frustrating flux. One prominent overlapping theme: patience. Too much has happened for more than half a century for this to be a seamless U.S.-Cuba transition–from red tape, mixed government signals and domestic politics on both sides to credit-card uncertainty and internet roulette on the island nation.
But change is palpably afoot, and Tampa–with its Cuban roots, 90,000 Cuban-Americans living and working here, the closest deep-water port to Havana and popular charter flights to the island from TIA–is at its forefront. Gatherings such as the one at the Marriott Tampa Airport underscore that reality and maintain that momentum.
Some outtakes:
* “Restoring our diplomatic relationship is, in part, about helping to build an economic future that empowers the Cuban people; develops a genuine Cuban private sector; and creates new opportunities for … Americans to do business with the people of an island just 90 miles off our coast.”– Commerce Secretary Pritzker.
* “Cuba is nowhere near where it needs to be on human rights. But a policy of isolation and embargo never changed it. … There’s no evidence that Cuba is sponsoring terrorism. Times have changed dramatically. It’s (removal from list of state sponsors of terrorism) imminent. Hopefully before the Summit of the Americas (April 10).”–Rep. Castor.
* “We’re close (on a vote to overturn the embargo). Likely it wouldn’t happen (yet).”–Rep. Castor.
* “A ferry service (to Cuba) makes a lot of sense, and there’s a great deal of interest in it.”–Rep. Castor.
* “It’s not about politics for us. It’s about the economy. If the community wants us to serve Cuba, then we will.”–TIA CEO Joe Lopano.
* “It’s not very clear how the financial system works–or is supposed to work. … The best and brightest are drawn to tourism. … Our (Eckerd College) tip to our guide was nearly a year’s salary.”–Peter K. Hammerschmidt, professor of economics at Eckerd.
* “Cuba: Where everything is possible, but nothing is guaranteed.”–Prof. Hammerschmidt.
* “It’s still very cumbersome. … They (Cubans) say they are not capitalists. I believe they are SO capitalist. I hear hotels will go up 20 per cent next season.”–Tessie Aral, CEO of ABC Charters Inc.
* “Have patience. … With our airport and port, it’s a perfect situation. We’re going to do well.”–Mike Mauricio, president, Florida Produce of Hillsborough and Habana Art.
* “When you’re donating money to candidates, please mention this issue.”–Bill Carlson, president of Tucker/Hall.
According to Rep. Castor, there will likely be a follow-up conference in the fall.