José Francisco Peña Gómez speculated that if President Bill Clinton were re-elected, the United States is likely to re-establish trade and diplomatic relations with Cuba. Dr Peña Gómez, in a party release, said he considers that the reopening of relations between the two countries could have “devastating effects on tourism and foreign investment in the D.R.”
Dr Peña Gómez, who is running as presidential candidate for his Partido Revolucionario Dominicano and the coalition of parties, known as the Acuerdo de Santo Domingo, said that Bill Clinton’s more flexible attitude towards relations with Cuba is due to the fact that his Democratic Party has discovered that it does not need the vote of the Cuban residents in Florida to win the elections in that state. He says that Cuba would offer tourism and foreign investors the advantage of a literate population, of which many are skilled technicians, public order, control of the social situation and the absence of unions.
He promised that “It is necessary to reprogram urgently in those vital areas and, for that reason, the next government run by us would relaunch the national economy starting from new policies of incentives both for tourism and foreign investment.” Dr Peña Gómez considers that foreign investment requires clear rules of the game, a trained work force, electricity and an infrastructure that facilitates production. He was speaking during a visit to the eastern provinces, which ended in the city of Higuey.
The Miami Herald has reported that the president of Norwegian Cruise Lines, and representatives of American Express, Avis and Radisson Hotels, visited Cuba last week on the invitation of the island’s tourist authorities.