[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 130 (Friday, August 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH NEED FOR THE UNITED STATES TO FOSTER 
RELATIONSHIPS WITH CARIBBEAN NATIONS, SUCH AS THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES, 
AND SUPPORT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL AND GEOPOLITICAL STABILITY IN 
                               THE REGION

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                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 31, 2008

  Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this Concurrent 
Resolution recognizing the importance of our Nation's Caribbean 
heritage and urge its adoption. I would like to take this opportunity, 
in part, to focus attention on the provisions of H. Con. Res. 364 that 
highlight the continuing importance of the Caribbean region to our 
Nation. I believe it is important that the United States work harder to 
foster our relationships with Caribbean nations and support their 
efforts to enhance the financial and geopolitical stability of the 
region. I recently had the opportunity to visit with Dr. Emsley D. 
Tromp, President of the Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen, the Central 
Bank for the Netherlands Antilles. During that meeting, we had the 
opportunity to discuss the growing importance of our relationship with 
the Netherlands Antilles, which has grown closer, as this country has 
approached independent status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 
The Netherlands Antilles has endeavored to improve its security through 
a more diversified economy and favorable environment for additional 
foreign direct investment, particularly from the United States. The 
Netherlands Antilles made substantial changes to their tax laws, 
bringing them into compliance with international norms. In addition, 
they entered into a tax information exchange agreement (TIEA) with the 
United States and have actively cooperated on tax enforcement matters. 
It is an important strategic partner of the United States in the 
Caribbean Basin with shared interests in countering transnational 
terrorism and crime and illegal narcotics production. A Forward 
Operating Location (FOL) on Curacao provides support for our drug 
interdiction efforts in the region. Madam Speaker, the United States 
should recognize and support efforts such as these in the Caribbean 
region, and actively work to forge closer ties with the Caribbean 
nations.

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