By David Phinney. States News Service.
Miami Herald, February 12,
2002.
WASHINGTON - A Democratic senator Monday grilled administration officials
about whether scarce government resources now being used to track down travelers
who visit Cuba illegally might be better used in combating terrorism.
Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, chairman of the Senate Appropriations
subcommittee on treasury and general government, made clear he believed that
longtime laws that restrict most tourist travel to the communist nation have
done little to bring about democratic reforms in Cuba.
''I don't think travel restrictions do anything to impede Fidel Castro,''
Dorgan said. "It only impedes U.S. citizens.''
Dorgan also complained about the rising number of citizens who are assessed
civil penalties. While there were 188 fines imposed on travelers in 2000 under
then-President Clinton, the number climbed to 766 in 2001 under President Bush,
Dorgan said.
Driving home his point, Dorgan invited a number of U.S. citizens who had
visited Cuba to appear before the panel. Each had been slapped with a fine of up
to $7,500, although several fines were subsequently reduced.
Marilyn Meister of Wisconsin said she took part in a bicycle trip in Cuba
organized by a Canadian tour company, which assured her that her visit would be
entirely legal under U.S. law. But on her return, a U.S. Customs official
detained her and treated her ''like the most horrible of criminals,'' the
retired school teacher said. A year later, Meister received a government demand
that she pay a civil penalty of $7,500.
Administration officials reminded Dorgan that President Bush has repeatedly
stressed his commitment to using existing embargo laws and travel restrictions
as a means to encourage democracy in Cuba.
''We are trying to minimize the flow of hard currency to Cuba,'' said R.
Richard Newcomb, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control for the
Department of the Treasury (OFAC), the agency charged with monitoring travel to
Cuba along with the more recent demands of investigating the financial
operations of suspected terrorist groups. "Obviously, travel to tourism
centers would contribute to hard currency.''
Seven of OFAC's 129 employees are detailed to pursue those who travel to
Cuba illegally.
Such closely monitored travel is necessary, Dennis Hays, executive vice
president for the Cuban American National Foundation, told the panel, because
profits from the Cuban tourist industry go to the ''most repressive elements''
of the government. | 
