The Port of Tampa announced that they were not interested in doing business deals with Cuba in the future. But other ports in Florida seem to be interested in the idea. But here is where it gets confusing, the Port of Tampa already signed an agreement with Cuba and the federal office approved the notion. So why do they deny it now?
Bad Timing?
"We're taking a very conservative approach," said Vice President Miyagishima of the Port of Tampa Authorities to tampa bay times, "We're not going to look at an agreement without an okay from the federal agency that enforces the US embargo against Cuba." But yet as the federal office acknowledged, the Port of Tampa can do business with Cuba, but why aren't they?
Maybe it has something to do with getting mushy with
Maybe it has something to do with getting mushy with Gov. Rick Scott who said that there could be a cut in funds if any port in Florida tries to do business with Cuba. The Florida Governor wants to slash efforts of normalizing relations with Cuba, but yet what he doesn't know is that business deals with Cuba are not bad but maybe a great benefit for Florida and for Cuban economics as well.
Smells like a mole
An email was sent to Tampa public relations executive Bill Carlson, who is a supporter of improving the relationship between the United States and Cuba, namely Florida and Cuba. The email was then forwarded to the Tampa Bay Times where it showed the documentation and the conversation between two port authorities in Florida and that the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the Department of Treasury signed off on the agreement.
The 2017 budget plan for Florida was released earlier this year, and the budget for Port Tampa Bay authorities has a big chunk of it missing thanks to the exposure of the leaked agreement. The document showed that Tampa Bay and Cuba's port authorities would consider building a relationship with data and technology interchange, market studies, and training to name a few.
Ports of Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale are wanting to sign the agreement with Cuba soon, but the matter between Ports Everglades and Tampa Bay are unresolved on who signed when.
Gov. Rick Scott should allow trading and relationships between Florida's ports and Cuba's; the brutal dictator is dead, his brother is next, it is a matter of time before a new government comes along and people in Cuba want to change. If these deals are denied, then it should be on the Governor's head rather than the port authorities.