National Summit on Cuba Held in Tampa
The National Summit on Cuba, cosponsored by the Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy Foundation, Americans for Humanitarian Trade with Cuba, the Florida-Cuba Business Council and the World Policy Institute at New School University, was held today in Tampa, Florida.
More than 30 speakers made presentations during the Summit, including U.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho), U.S. Representatives William Delahunt (D-MA), Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Butch Otter (R-ID), (Ret) General John Sheehan and Ambassador Pete Peterson.
Dr. Tim Lynch, director of the Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis at Florida State University, indicated that free trade with Cuba could generate $50 billion and 900,000 jobs for the United States over a twenty year period. Lynch stated that Florida would stand to benefit more than any state for three reasons -- a historic linkage to Cuba, Florida's proximity to Cuba
and large and growing Hispanic population. According to Lynch, Florida's benefit from trade with Cuba over a period of 20 years would generate more than 100,000 jobs and $3.8 billion in output in the following sectors: services and tourism, agriculture, waterborne transport, information technology and telecommunications, railroads and manufacturing.
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