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Tomblin talks trade and Trump on Cuba trip

Charleston Gazette-Mail file photo Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin
Charleston Gazette-Mail file photo
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin spent three days in Cuba on a trade mission last week, talking about business opportunities for West Virginia companies on the island and answering questions about President-elect Donald Trump.

Tomblin was the first U.S. governor to visit Cuba since Trump’s victory in the presidential election.

During the presidential campaign, Trump criticized President Barack Obama’s executive orders that seek to normalize U.S. relations with Cuba, calling the new policy “weak.” Trump has said he would negotiate a better deal that benefits the United States.

At a press conference Saturday in Havana, Tomblin said he hopes U.S.-Cuban ties will strengthen.

“There might be some movement regarding Cuba policy on behalf of the new administration, but I also feel like there are many of us who would like to continue the path of normalization,” Tomblin told the Cuban media. “Over the last two years, the White House has opened up the barriers that existed between the two countries, and I feel that many governors and politicians in the U.S. are in favor of moving forward with that.”

Trump won West Virginia’s five electoral votes by a landslide. Only Wyoming had a higher percentage of voters who cast ballots for Trump.

“We had surprises [during the election], but I believe that efforts in the process of normalization will continue to advance,” Tomblin said at the press conference in Havana. “Every morning when you wake up and turn on the television, it’s a new adventure.”

Tomblin’s office gave no advance notice to local media about the governor’s trade mission to Cuba. Tomblin, who’s serving out a second and final term, will leave the governor’s mansion in seven weeks. Gov.-elect Jim Justice will take office on Jan. 16.

During the Cuba trip, Tomblin was accompanied by four executives from three West Virginia-based companies: Pilgrim’s Pride, a chicken processor in Moorefield; Multicoat Corp., a Winfield firm that makes waterproofing products; and Industrial Bolting Technologies, a Charleston manufacturer that sells hydraulic torque wrenches.

John Dill, vice president at Multicoat, said Monday that he’s already following up on potential new business for his company spurred by the trip to Cuba.

 “We went into this mission without expectations, and I can tell you it exceeded any hopes we could have had,” Dill said. “We learned that Cuba has a strong economic market for many products, including our own.”

Others who traveled to Cuba with Tomblin including first lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin; Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette; Commerce Department lawyer Josh Jarrell; Tomblin’s legislative affairs director, Joey Garcia; and Commerce Department International Director Steve Spence.

The West Virginia delegation flew from Charleston to Miami on the state plane, then took a charter flight to Havana. The state picked up travel and lodging expenses for state officials, while the business executives covered their own travel costs, according to Tomblin’s spokeswoman.

Tomblin and the delegation met with Cuban officials from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Tourism.

Tomblin was the sixth U.S. governor to visit Cuba after the U.S. eased sanctions in December 2014.

“Since the U.S. restored diplomatic relations and has started to normalize relations with Cuba, several governors have already visited or made plans to visit,” said Jessica Tice, a Tomblin spokeswoman. “Governor Tomblin believed it was important to get involved in these types of conversations early in the process and capitalize on this new opportunity for business and trade in an attempt to grow West Virginia exports.”

According to Cuban media reports, West Virginia also seeks to position itself as a supplier of coal and natural gas to Cuba at a time when Venezuela, a country dogged by an economic crisis, has reduced fuel exports sent to the island.

Tomblin also said West Virginia universities want to exchange research on health and education with Cuba’s universities, according to reports.

The Cuba trip marked Tomblin’s sixth and final trade mission.

Reach Eric Eyre at [email protected], 304-348-4869 or follow @ericeyre on Twitter.

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