West Hollywood officials hope to open ties with island nation while on a sister-city visit
By Cory Fisher. Los Angeles Times. Friday, June 16, 2000
WEST HOLLYWOOD -- Elian Gonzalez hasn't seen his grandparents lately, but West Hollywood City Councilman Steve Martin has.
Martin, his deputy Sarah Bradshaw and John Mulcrone--Martin's partner of eight years--returned from Cuba May 27 after attending a Havana conference hosted by the United States-Cuba Sister Cities Assn. During their seven-day trip, it was arranged for the trio--joined by other American city
officials--to meet with Gonzalez's relatives. Martin presented the family with West Hollywood's official resolution calling for Elian's immediate return to Cuba.
Elian's family was extremely appreciative of West Hollywood's resolution, said Bradshaw, who wanted to "let the grandparents know that many Americans side with them on this issue.
"I hugged Elian's great-grandmother and said 'I'm so sorry,"' Bradshaw added. "It's clear she's getting old and wants to see Elian again."
While the Gonzalez family visit was clearly a highlight for the group during their weeklong stay, Martin returned with enthusiasm regarding the establishment of a relationship between West Hollywood and a yet-to-be named Cuban city or region. Initial hopes to become sister-cities with
Havana were quickly squelched, as Havana has already been heavily wooed by other cities, and to date has formal partnerships with more than five other American regions. Martin said they are now considering a shared partnership with Oakland, in Santiago de Cuba, the country's second largest city.
"But we have work to do before we go back to the City Council for final approval," Martin said. "This sister-city relationship needs to be a grass-roots effort of citizen diplomacy, not merely formal relations between city officials."
Martin said another trip may be required before a specific sister city is identified. Anxious to end the embargo, Martin said Cuban cities are "falling all over themselves" to form sister-city relationships in the United States.
The Havana conference, which included roughly 100 representatives from American cities, focused primarily on the cultural, educational and governmental aspects of cities in the two countries. Other California municipalities that attended included Santa Cruz, Oakland, Richmond, Hayward, San
Francisco, San Diego and Marin County.
The trip cost roughly $3,000 and was paid for by the West Hollywood Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mulcrone said he covered his own expenses.
While the current U.S. embargo--referred to by Cubans as "the blockade"--would in most cases prohibit Cubans from visiting West Hollywood, Martin said the initial benefits of an established intercity relationship would include giving West Hollywood residents the opportunity to
travel freely to Cuba under a sister-city license.In addition, there are opportunities for West Hollywood to offer humanitarian aid. Martin's contingent toured an "AIDS sanitarium," where they spoke freely with patients.
"Of the 1,500 who have been diagnosed with AIDS in Cuba, only 100 are on cocktail drugs, something most Americans have access to," Martin said. "In Cuba, they don't have access to AIDS drugs due to the embargo. It's beyond their reach cost wise. We could possibly adopt a city
and provide cocktails, even for one person."
Bradshaw arrived home even more baffled by the perceived need for an embargo.
"Cubans are anxious and thrilled to meet Americans, to reach out," he said. "I realize we've had our own embargo here when it comes to information on Cuban life. We have a lot to learn from each other."
Copyright 2000 Los Angeles Times |