The Government of Jamaica on Friday asserted that the recent ban by consumer goods distributor PriceSmart on Cuban diplomats shopping at that establishment in Kingston ran counter to the non-discrimination provisions, not only of Jamaican law and constitution, but also the laws and constitutions of other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States.
The ban was later lifted, after protests were lodged over the affair.
The position of the Jamaican Government on the matter was conveyed by Senator A.J Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, during an exchange involving CARICOM Heads of Government and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodriques Parilla. The exchange took place during the morning business session of the final day of the 35th Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government at the Sandals Grande Antigua Resort in Antigua and Barbuda.
Extraterritorial application
In expressing the views of the Government of Jamaica, Minister Nicholson noted that the “unfortunate ban” was one of the worst expressions of the extraterritorial application of United States law. He noted that Jamaica worked strenuously within the institutions of CARICOM to have the matter dealt with.
“We were committed within COFCOR (Council for Foreign and Community Relations of CARICOM) that this invidious situation could not stand and we would have been willing to seek audience with the Attorney General of the United States on this matter,” Nicholson said.
He reiterated Jamaica’s commitment to deepening relations with Cuba and noted that several economic, technical and cultural programmes continue to be pursued in the interest of the people of both Cuba and Jamaica, as is the case involving the people of several other CARICOM Member countries.
The Cuban Foreign Minister conveyed the appreciation of the Government and people of Cuba to CARICOM for having displayed solidarity with the Cuban Government on the PriceSmart issue, among several other international relations matters.
The 5th CARICOM-Cuba Summit is to be held on December 8 in Havana, Cuba.
SOURCE: OPM
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PriceSmart ban breached CARICOM laws and Constitutions - Nicholson
