Posted on 04/20/2002 9:28:35 AM PDT by ozone1
Cuba Trip Attracts Federal Attention By Sherwood Olin A research trip to Cuba organized by a Maine grass roots organization drew the attention of the federal government on the eve of the group’s departure last week.
According to a press release issued by Let Cuba Live, an official from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) contacted the group’s travel agency April 10 with the news the trip did not fall within federal guidelines for a legal visit to the Caribbean island.
OFAC is the arm of the U. S. Treasury Dept. that administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries, terrorism-sponsoring organizations and international narcotics traffickers based on official U.S. foreign policy and national security goals.
Despite the federal caution, Let Cuba Live spokesperson Rene Cote said 13 members of the original 25 person delegation left for the communist nation April 13 as scheduled.
All 25 individuals originally scheduled to participate were either teachers or health care professionals. The ostensible purpose of the visit is to observe the Cuban education and health care systems. Among the local representatives making the trip is Bristol School nurse Tasha Jensen.
On April 12, Jensen said she believed the trip was justifiable and she still planned to go. Jensen said she would not know what the official American reaction would be until the group attempts to return April 21. As there is no direct connection between the two countries, the group traveled via Montreal.
Cote said Let Cuba Live has organized two previous excursions to Cuba. Cote said the Treasury Dept. apparently monitors the group’s website and previously informed them they could not arrange this trip because they are not a travel service provider licensed by the Treasury Dept.
In light of that information, Cote said the group turned to a Cambridge, Mass. travel agency, Common Ground Travel, to complete arrangements. Following a telephone call from an OFAC official April 10, Common Ground backed out, Cote said.
“These people had made plans to spend their vacation in Cuba studying the education and health care systems there,” Cote said. “It’s a little frustrating. I know many, many people who have gone to Cuba who fit even less under the guidelines than we do. This would have gone under the radar screen …I am hopeful that once the teachers return with documentation from their trip, the government will find that it fits under the guidelines. This is all we know right now.”
In a last ditch effort to convince OFAC officials the trip was justifiable, a number of individuals in the delegation turned to U.S. Rep. John Baldacci (D- Bangor) to intercede on their behalf.
On April 16 Baldacci spokesperson Doug Dunbar said conversations with OFAC officials continued into the evening hours April 12 before the feds appeared satisfied.
“We were told before they left the trip would fall within the guidelines,” Dunbar said. “By the end of the day Friday, they actually felt the trip probably would meet the criteria they set out. The customs agents on the ground will make the initial determination.”
Dunbar said the participants will need to provide documentation of their actions to prove they participated in specific activities related to the trip.
“They need documentation from the schools, health care centers they visit, to show what they were doing,” Dunbar said. In a later comment, he added, “These people are in fact teachers and health care professionals. Their schedule was filled with activities related to the trip. The people who are going certainly have worthy purposes.”
On April 16, Treasury Dept. spokesperson Tasia Scolinos said federal regulations require one of two licenses for legal travel to Cuba. Scolinos said a “general” license is most often granted to full time journalists traveling for professional reasons or individuals planning to visit family members.
The second license, a “specific” license requires a direct application to the Treasury Dept. and must fall within 8 or 10 specific categories, Scolinos said. Individuals traveling under this license classification are going for a specific purpose and are required to document their visit, proving that purpose was met.
The Treasury Dept. grants around 19,000 permits per year for travel to Cuba, Scolinos said.
Though not directly familiar with the specifics of the Let Cuba Live situation, Scolinos said it is not uncommon for OFAC officials to contact licensed travel providers to ensure groups are appropriately licensed for travel. Approved travel service providers are licensed by the Treasury Dept., she said.
“I don’t believe they applied for a license,” Scolinos said. “My understanding is they are going for research. For groups that travel lawfully to Cuba, obviously there is no problem. It’s fairly routine for OFAC to remind them (travel service provider) that the group must have a license.”
There is little hope for this state if Baldacci gets elected governor.
Regards, Ivan
We will be in deep kimshee if Baldy is elected.
"Bone your own" is the phrase.
Great weather and inexpensive rum have nothing to do with it, of course.
Us folks go? Noooooooooooooo. Might embarass the Congressional delegations.
Am I bitter? Hell yes.
Meanwhile, Castro's regime is making money off Congressional expense accouts.
I left greenbacks in the Cuban capitalistic underground economy. I went legally, then.
kj
The problem is, they might come back!
I'll drink a Cuba Libre to that!
America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)
Ever since the tobacco settlement, I make a point of blowing smoke at him at the 4th of July parade.
Last year, I yelled right in his face, "No cadaver will ever be Governor!"
It was beautiful, 'cause when he heard his name he turned on that phoney political grin, then his jaw dropped when he realized what I was saying.
When (not if) he is elected, we will still be the #1 overall taxed per capita state, but they'll retire the crown for him.
Here's the link to the American Conservative Union's ratings for our Fed pols. Disgusting...
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