Cuba investments are a high risk for U.S. companies, new report says

Cuba investments are a high risk for U.S. companies, new report says
BY NORA GÁMEZ TORRES
ngameztorres@elnuevoherald.com

A firm that specializes in commercial real estate and investment
management has issued a report stating that the time to invest in Cuba
has not yet come.

The report by JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle) — among the nation's 500
highest-earning companies according to the latest edition of the annual
Fortune magazine's list — cautions U.S. investors against diving into
business opportunities in Cuba and concludes that the process of
"integration with Cuba, even if the embargo is fully lifted, will take
decades."

"What we have determined is that there is still a lot of risk involved,
there is not a solid banking system, the physical infrastructure of the
country is a challenge and with the current embargo, U.S. companies are
not allowed to enter into a contract with the government" as required in
joint ventures, said Steve Medwin, managing director of the firm.

"There are a lot of impediments in the way. We do not mean that there
won't be opportunities in the future but right now there are so many
hurdles that it is rather a wait and see where things shake out. It's
like a double-edged sword: There are opportunities but with a very high
risk," he added.

The easing of sanctions by the administration of President Barack Obama
could have an impact on increased trade with the island, according to
the report, but "development plans and economic expansion" should come
first.

The ability to directly export to small private entrepreneurs in Cuba —
as new regulations now permit— is evaluated as a "marginal opportunity"
to increase the volume of trade with the island.

The authors point out the shortcomings of the Cuban infrastructure, low
purchasing power and dealing with the Cuban government as additional
elements that hinder the American presence on the island.

While Cuban officials have conveyed a welcome message to the U.S.
investors, the Cuban government has not yet ruled on many aspects of the
measures announced in January, such as direct exports to private
businesses or the granting of permits for ferry services.

"They may be saying that, and there may be those opportunities, but when
it comes to an individual or company risking their capital to make an
investment, people want to have reasonable assurance on getting a
return. What we are saying to our constituency is that, what we see
today is not a sound investment because of all impediments that are in
the way, although there are opportunities," Medwin said.

In this regard, the report identifies telecommunications and the sale of
building materials, as avenues where investment opportunities may be
more immediately possible, "but it is not an open country with which to
do business," he said.

The sector with the most potential for long-term development, according
to JLL, is tourism and associated services, such as hotel services and
transportation services specifically tied to the industry such as
ferries. However, a substantial increase of U.S. tourism would require
the complete removal of the embargo and a new legal framework in Cuba so
that U.S. companies can legally invest in the creation of a "solid hotel
infrastructure."

JLL also assessed business opportunities for Florida, which could
benefit from the possible expansion of the demands of offices for
financial and legal services to address businesses in Cuba, to the
extent that relations and trade between the two countries move forward.
Less clear are the opportunities in the agricultural sector, as the
report notes, as a result of concerns from the Florida Farm Bureau
Federation that competition could mean the arrival of Cuban agricultural
products that are very similar to what is grown in Florida.

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Source: Cuba investments are a high risk for U.S. companies, new report
says | Miami Herald Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article25183966.html