Bahamian jailed in Cuba for Trafficking!

Communication to the House of Assembly

By Fred Mitchell MP

Minister for Foreign Affairs

On The Case of Jamaric Greene

18th March 2015

Mr. Speaker on 13 March 2015 there was a report in The Tribune by Rashad Rolle which addressed the complaints of the wife of Jamaric Green who is incarcerated in Cuba. He is a Bahamian citizen. Mrs. Antonia Green is quoted as saying the following: that letters were written to the Minister of National Security and the Minister of Foreign Affairs seeking their help.

The story then quotes her as saying: “I can’t believe your spouse could have been arrested and convicted of a crime in another country and no one from the government would make the effort to at least sit down with you and address your questions.”

Mr. Speaker, this is the second time that this matter has been addressed by me following on inquiries from the press. Earlier I indicated to them that the narrative that was being told was not correct. The narrative persists however and so I am now going to provide the House with the full report of this matter from our Ambassador in Havana.

It reads as follows:

The Embassy of The Bahamas in Havana, Cuba is fully aware of the case of Mr. Jamaric Charmon Green, as well as familiar with Mr. Green, as an Inmate.

During my tenure as Ambassador, over the past two years, our Embassy has paid Consular Visits to Mr. Green and all Bahamian inmates practically every month, which includes some visits by the Ambassador.

As recently as 3 March 2015, Mr. Green along with other Bahamian Inmates received a Consular visit at the La Condesa Penitentiary, in Guiness, Mayabeque Province, when he was visited by Consul Saunders, Attache Carey and Dr. Armenteros.

During the aforementioned Visit, Mr. Green appeared to be in good spirits and good health. He made no complaints during said visit.

His wife, Mrs. Antonia Ferguson Green paid a visit to the Embassy, two days later on 5 March 2015. Ambassador Adams met with Mrs. Green for at least an hour, discussing all matters of her husband’s incarceration since the time he was here in Cuba.  Additionally, she took the time to meet with their daughter, (name redacted) and to counsel about how to deal with her father’s absence, to study her Spanish at the (name redacted) School in Stapledon Gardens and to prepare to be able to speak Spanish with

her father when he returns to the Bahamas.

One of Mrs. Green’s primary concerns, was that her husband felt that when he along with the others were initially detained in Camaguey, that they were not visited by the Embassy personnel.

Dr. Armenteros (an attaché at the embassy) informed me that he accompanied Consul Eugene Newry, on a Consular Visit to Camaguey to meet with Mr. Green and the three other detainees on Thursday, April 12, 2012. At that time, they met with them personally as well as with the prosecutor of the case and the Lt. Col. Director of

the Penitentiary, who informed them about the facts and the ongoing investigations of their case.

Subsequently, Mr. Green and the other inmates were brought into the room, where they had an opportunity to explain to everybody the facts surrounding the circumstances of how they arrived in the inland waters of Camaguey.

Consul Newry and Dr. Armenteros arrived at the Prison for the meeting at 9:00 a.m. and departed at 2:00 p.m.

On 12 October 2012 at 9:00 a.m. the four inmates were scheduled to appear for trial at the Provincial Court in Camaguey. Unfortunately, officials from the Embassy were not able to be present at that time. However, it must be noted that even if they were present, they would not have been allowed to make any intervention, nor assist them in any way, as their Public Defender assumed the role of full representation, before the court, on their behalf

Finally, please be advised of Mr. Green’s status, as recorded by the Ministry of the Interior of Cuba, as at January 2013, is as follows:

Name:                                    Jamaric Charmon Green

Parents:                                  Wellington and Annie Green

Age:                                       28 years

Address:                                 Dorsett Alley, # 6A off West Street,

Nassau, Bahamas

Location:                                La Condensa Penitentiary

Case No:                                151/2012

Crime:                                    Drug Trafficking

Sentence:                               18 years

Regime:                                 Severe

Date In:                                  22 February 2012

Date Out:                                27 November 2029

Entitled to Conditional

Release:                                 30 November 2020

Reduction in Sentence:        60 days (as at January 2013)

Time In:                             2 years 1 month (as January 2013)

Brief on Crime:                      With three other Bahamian citizens organized the transshipment of large volumes of marijuana from Jamaica to the Bahamas. The boat was damaged during the navigation at east of Cuba and they made the decision to launch the drugs into the ocean and wait for some time to ask for help.

On the following day 68 packages of marijuana, with the net weight of 423.05 kilograms, arrived in the Cuban coast at Sabinal Cay, Camaguey.

Behaviour:                              Good behaviour and participates in educational activities

Health condition:                   Good

Ministry of Interior:

January/2013

Sir, I am satisfied that the Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Havana, Cuba is doing all that it possible can, in the circumstances to assist not only inmate, Jamaric Chamon Green, but all of the other Bahamian Inmates under our charge.

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That was the report of the Ambassador. I think it speaks for itself. The embassy and the wider government stands available to assist if there is anything further that the family believes can be done. However, we are unable to neither ameliorate the sentence of the inmate nor interfere with the legal procedures of Cuba.

end