CUBANET ... CUBANEWS

June 6, 2001



Port cancels trade show trip to Cuba

2 commissioners decline, causing last-minute bust

By Jenalia Moreno. Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle. June 5, 2001, 11:46PM

Five Port of Houston Authority officials were supposed to embark on a four-day trade mission to Cuba today.

While there, they had planned to attend an annual U.S.-Cuba Business Summit and hobnob with local political leaders -- perhaps even President Fidel Castro.

Instead, port officials canceled their trade mission at the last minute after what appears to be a series of misunderstandings at the public agency.

It is uncertain if the port will be refunded for its estimated $27,321 in conference and travel fees.

Late Monday, port Chairman James Edmonds canceled his trip after he learned two other commissioners did not plan to go with him to Havana today.

"I just decided to scrap the trip when we didn't have enough commissioner involvement," Edmonds said.

As of Monday afternoon, port staff members believed Edmonds would be joined in Cuba by fellow commissioners Kase Lawal and Vidal Martinez. Port Managing Director Wade Battles and Trade Development Manager John Horan were also supposed to accompany the commissioners.

"I'm not going to send the staff down there without commissioners," said port Executive Director Tom Kornegay.

Lawal said he was surprised when he received an airplane ticket last week.

"There wasn't any formal notice to me that I was going," Lawal said. "I thought there may have been a misunderstanding."

He said he preferred going to other Latin American nations because he didn't see what revenue could be generated from the trip, considering the embargo on trade with Cuba.

"Right now, nobody can tell when the U.S. government is going to remove those sanctions, if they are going to remove those sanctions," Lawal said.

Martinez has twice before visited Cuba on behalf of the port. Last year, he went to the summit with a port staff member. The port paid $5,900 to Cristobal, the Italian firm that organizes the summit.

Officials from other ports, including New Orleans, Tampa, Fla., and Charleston, S.C., have visited Cuba, Martinez said. To have an edge over competitors, Port of Houston officials should meet with Cuban officials, Martinez said.

"We just have to be vigilant for the opportunity," Martinez said. "At some point in the future, things are going to change."

But this time he could not go to Cuba because of a conflict in his schedule. Martinez said he told port officials last week he would not participate in the Cuban summit.

Martinez, who is also chairman of a Greater Houston Partnership committee, will be in Washington, D.C., today and Thursday. Officials with the partnership meet with politicians every year and that trip was originally scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, he said.

In April, port commissioners unanimously agreed to spend up to $38,250 to send seven people to the summit.

However, only five people were expected to go, so the port would have spent $27,321 on the trade mission. An estimated $15,525 of that money would have been paid to Cristobal for conference fees.

Port officials said they would likely recoup the money it spent on the Continental Airlines fare to Cancun. Because trade with Cuba is prohibited, there are no commercial flights from the United States to Cuba. Many people fly to Mexico and take a flight from there to the island nation.

Officials from Alamar Associates, the U.S. group that helps arrange the summit, did not return telephone calls. But its Web site said there are no refunds up to a week prior to the conference.

Port officials said they would try to get their money back.

"Those guys aren't in the business of stiffing people," said Martinez.

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