Fidel Castro's death could have financial impact on Alabama

Fidel Castro's death could have financial impact on Alabama
December 18. 2006 3:30AM

Alabama needs to be prepared for an easing of U.S. trade restrictions
with Cuba, considering the pending demise of long-time dictator Fidel
Castro.

Castro is near death, according to Director of National Intelligence
John D. Negroponte. The Cuban leader has been suffering from an
undisclosed intestinal disorder that many believe to be cancer.

With Castro's death, there is a strong likelihood that the doors of
trade between the island nation and the U.S. will open up, to the
benefit of both countries.

Trade with the U.S. will help democratize Cuba. Alabama, meanwhile,
could realize a multi-billion dollar annual windfall.

Castro is an icon of communism whose image has remained potent despite
the slow death of his ideology worldwide. The power of his image is
evidenced in the fact that, although our country now regularly trades
with communist China and Vietnam, severe sanctions remain on Cuba.

Some of the agricultural trade restrictions were lifted six years ago,
resulting in the rise of Cuba from 226th place to 21st on Alabama's list
of export partners. However, due to the strong political influence of
the anti-Castro Cuban-American community in South Florida, a generally
heavy trade embargo remains in place.

Raul Castro, who has assumed his older brother's duties, said earlier
this month that Cuba is willing to open negotiations "to settle the long
U.S.-Cuba disagreement." A bipartisan delegation of 10 U.S. congressmen
responded by flying to Cuba this weekend to explore potential policy
changes under a new Cuban government. It was the largest congressional
delegation ever to visit Cuba.

The success of those talks could produce an economic bonanza for this
state. According to Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks, who has
long advocated a more relaxed U.S.-Cuban trade policy, Cuba already is
the state's second-largest buyer of catfish and forest products and
Alabama's third-ranking market for poultry. It also is a major consumer
of Alabama peanuts, cotton and other agricultural goods.

Trade with Cuba has an economic impact of between $100 million and $300
million on Alabama, Sparks estimates.

Last year, Maria Mendez, director for Latin America at the Port of
Mobile, estimated that a further relaxation of trade restrictions would
create a $2 billion annual impact in "very conservative" figures.

Mobile hopes to be the dominant port for trade with Cuba, just as
Jacksonville, Fla., is the principal U.S. port for Puerto Rico.

Sparks, Mobile Mayor Mike Dow, Retirement Systems of Alabama chief David
Bronner, Alabama Power officials and others have worked hard to lay the
groundwork for an Alabama-Cuba trade expansion.

Now it's time for Gov. Bob Riley and every member of the state's
congressional delegation to step up to the plate and push for an end to
the restrictive trade barriers. With Fidel Castro slipping out of the
picture, that advocacy should become a major political priority.

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