America’s 52 year long trade embargo against Cuba won’t be lifted without congressional approval. But President Obama’s executive orders do allow limited trade — in telecommunications, travel and banking — provided American companies forge partnerships only with private, non-governmental Cuban institutions. A New Jersey trade delegation is just back from meetings with the Cuban Chamber of Commerce. They toured businesses, biotech laboratories, farms and tourist destinations. New Jersey’s Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Chair Carlos Medina led the delegation. Medina told NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams that there’s a long way to go before New Jersey businesses work with Cuba.
“I think this is just the beginning, planting the seed and there’s a great desire on both sides to do business together. But I think we’re several years away from some substantial business being done,” said Medina.
Gov. Chris Christie has indicated that he is not open to a relationship with Cuba until Joanne Chesimard, who was convicted of killing a New Jersey police officer, is returned. Medina said that issue is unlikely to affect New Jersey businesses’ ability to forge ties with Cuban businesses. He thinks that it will still occur on its own, even if it’s not something that the governor or the state mandates. By evidence of the trip to Cuba, Medina said that there are a lot of opportunities.
According to Medina, New Jersey companies are best suited to work with companies in Cuba in the areas of pharmaceuticals, engineering and construction. Medina said that infrastructure in Cuba hasn’t been upgraded in decades and that there could be a lot of construction done in Cuba.
During the New Jersey trade delegation trip to Cuba, Medina said that he was surprised by the willingness by the business people to work with the United States and in particular with Cuban-Americans.
“They know that there’s some bad blood because of the dictatorship that took place and how it took place and properties that were taken,” Medina said. “But I think both sides are trying to let bygones be bygones and move forward in what’s better for the people. Put politics aside and what’s better for a Cuban business person and what’s better for United States — Cuban-American or an American company.”
President Obama’s executive order requires that relationships between U.S. companies be with private companies in Cuba. Medina said that many businesses in Cuba are partnerships with the government, but that the trade delegation met with several farms, restaurants and tourism companies that are privately owned. He also said that there are some businesses that are joint ventures with the government that are going to have to change their legal structure in order to comply with the amendments Obama is mandating.
Medina said that he believes businesses will change their structures because they want to have a working relationship with the U.S.
“There was a great desire to work with the U.S. and I think right now there’s a lot of information that they’re hungry for because internet service and certain things are very limited,” he said. “So they’re very anxious to have all the tools that American business people have. They’re really working with such limited tools, it’s amazing that they’re even doing the amount of business that they’re doing right now.”
Prior to the trip, Medina had not been back to Cuba. His father was from there.
“It was very emotional and I’m very torn because I do have family that lost a lot and friends that lost a lot, but again in my heart, I really feel that business to business is going to eventually lead to democracy in Cuba because right now they’re very isolated,” Medina said. “So any message that’s given from the Cuban government, they’re not getting a counter message right now from other parties. And I think as relationships open, it’s going to be inevitable and it’s going to be hard to stop that tide. So I think as they see the world around them and see businesses and the enthusiasm that having your own business brings, I think it will lead to changes, substantial changes in Cuba.”