21 JUNE 1999, WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT: United States healthcare companies have been authorized by the United States government to participate in a U.S. Healthcare Exhibition within the Republic of Cuba.

The U.S. Healthcare Exhibition will be held from Wednesday, 25 January 2000, through Saturday, 29 January 2000, at the 50,000 square foot Republic of Cuba government-operated Pabexpo exhibition center in the city of Havana.  Pabexpo has five clear-span halls of indoor exhibition space, in addition to seminar rooms and outdoor exhibition space.  The U.S. Healthcare Exhibition hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.

Pabexpo is located 40 minutes from the Jose Marti International Airport and 15 minutes from the United States Interests Section and hotels.

The U.S. Healthcare Exhibition is being held in the Republic of Cuba with the authorization of the Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Cuba and MediCuba, the primary importer of healthcare products for hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare-related facilities for use by the Republic of Cuba’s 11 million citizens.

The U.S. Healthcare Exhibition will be attended by officials of the Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Cuba, representatives of MediCuba, hospital administrators, clinic administrators, hospital staff, clinic staff, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare personnel, from throughout the Republic of Cuba.

The U.S. Healthcare Exhibition will be open to all Republic of Cuba nationals on a non-discriminatory basis on the final day of the event.  There is no admission charge.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C., has licensed Westport, Connecticut-based PWN Exhibicon International L.L.C., a subsidiary of Southport, Connecticut-based The Compass Group International L.L.C., to arrange and to hold an exhibition within the Republic of Cuba to promote the sale of United States-produced healthcare products.  The OFAC license numbers are C-37037 and C-37080.  Photocopies of the OFAC licenses are available upon request from PWN Exhibicon International LLC.

United States-based healthcare product companies (and United States-based subsidiaries of non-United States-based companies) which manufacture, distribute, and/or market the following classifications of products are eligible to participate as exhibitors:

Medical equipment, medical instrument, medical supply, medicine, medicated products, pharmaceutical, medical devices, hospital equipment, laboratory equipment, ambulances, physical therapy equipment, medivac equipment, training programs, training materials, and informational materials (including videos, books, etc.).  NOTE: Healthcare products used in biotechnological research/production are not eligible.

The number of United States-based healthcare product companies participating as exhibitors in the U.S. Healthcare Exhibition will be limited.

A fully-furnished stand package provides basic amenities including a hard wall system (3 walls), fascia or header with company identification, full carpeting, a counter space, table, three chairs, one duplex electrical outlet, and daily cleaning.  Additional stand fittings, including glass showcases, spotlights, and display shelves are available at an additional charge.  The minimum fully-furnished stand package is 9 square meters (approximately 10 feet by 10 feet), and is priced at US$440.00 per square meter, for a total minimum cost of US$3,960.00.  Multiple units or fractional unit additions to a stand package are available.  Audio-visual equipment is available for rent.  Interpreters, translators, and bi-lingual host services are also available for an additional charge.

Exhibitors choosing to use their own stand displays can reserve raw space, with a minimum of 18 square meters (approximately 20 feet by 20 feet) at a cost of US$340.00 per square meter.  There is outdoor space available which is adjacent to the main Pabexpo exhibition hall at a cost of US$125.00 per square meter with a 36 square meter minimum.

PWN Exhibicon International LLC will assist exhibitors with obtaining licenses for all products to be displayed at the U.S. Healthcare Exhibition.  Each product exhibited must be licensed by the Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) of the United States Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C.  The BXA will issue licenses (at no cost) to each individual exhibitor.  Licenses will be issued for products to be temporarily exported to the Republic of Cuba and then returned to the United States (or other country) after the completion of the U.S. Healthcare Exhibition.  Licenses will be issued for products to be exported to the Republic of Cuba for up to two years for the purpose of demonstration and testing by relevant entities affiliated with Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Cuba.  Licenses will be issued for products to be exports to the Republic of Cuba and then remain in the Republic of Cuba as a humanitarian donation directed to a non-governmental organization (NGO).

By agreement with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C., PWN Exhibicon International LLC will obtain travel licenses for all exhibitors.  Such licenses will authorize exhibitors to make travel-related payments (maximum of US$183.00 per day without additional authorization from the OFAC) within the Republic of Cuba in conjunction with participating within the U.S. Healthcare Exhibition.  Exhibitors will be authorized to travel to the Republic of Cuba on the regularly-scheduled airline charters between the United States and the Republic of Cuba, as well as, be authorized to travel to the Republic of Cuba using general aviation aircraft.

Exhibitors will be authorized to return to the United States with up to US$100.00 worth of Republic of Cuba produced products.  An unlimited value of artwork and informational materials (books, magazines, videos, music, brochures, etc.) may be imported.

In order to minimize the value of transactions within the Republic of Cuba by U.S. Healthcare Exhibitors, discounted packages (hotel, meal, airline, ground transportation, etc.) will be available through arrangements with Havanatur, a subsidiary of Republic of Cuba government-operated Cimex S.A.

The U.S. Healthcare Exhibition is being organized by PWN Exhibicon International L.L.C.  Mr. Peter W. Nathan, President of PWN Exhibicon International L.L.C., has more than forty-three years of experience in the exhibition industry, and previously organized the first trade shows for United States companies which were held within the People’s Republic of China and within the former U.S.S.R.  Mr. Nathan is a founding member director of the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO), as well as, Vice Chairman of the New York Area Chapter of the International Association for Exposition Management (IAEM).  He also serves as Managing Director at DeSilva & Philips, Inc., a New York City, New York-based media investment-banking firm.

Assisting PWN Exhibicon International LLC is Waldwick, New Jersey-based Kallman Worldwide, which will coordinate exhibitor recruitment and exhibitor liaison; and New York City, New York-based International Exhibition Transport (IET), which will provide shipping and drayage coordination.

“FULLY HOSTED” TRAVELERS ARE WARNED- Officials at the United States Department of State, officials at the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury, officers of the United States Customs Service, and officers of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, have re-confirmed that any individual subject to United States law returning to the United States after visiting the Republic of Cuba on a “fully hosted basis” will be subjected to increased scrutiny under new regulatory guidelines.  This is especially true for high profile groups. Extreme caution should be taken as there is no longer a presumption of innocence, there is now a presumption of guilt and fines will be assessed.  The term “fully hosted” means that all expenses within the Republic of Cuba (including travel to and from the Republic of Cuba if using a Republic of Cuba government-operated air carrier, such as Cubana Airlines, or other means of transportation) on behalf of the individual subject to United States law are paid for by an individual or entity not subject to United States law.  No direct or indirect payments are permitted.  A “fully hosted” traveler may return to the United States with an unlimited amount of informational materials (books, magazines, newspapers, music tapes, etc.) and an unlimited amount of artwork.  A “fully hosted” traveler may not return to the United States with any other Republic of Cuba-produced products (such as cigars, rum, coffee, tee shirts, etc.).  The OFAC and the United States Customs Service confirm that “fully hosted” travelers should now expect the following: 1) A letter from an individual or entity not subject to United States law (or a letter from a United States-based law firm) confirming that the individual subject to United States law was “fully hosted” will not be accepted as “proof” that a visit was “fully hosted.”  2) The individual subject to United States law will be required to produce receipts for all daily expenses within the Republic of Cuba which demonstrate that all of the expenses were paid by an individual or entity not subject to United States law.  3) At the entry point to the United States, the United States Customs Service may make a photocopy of the passport of the individual subject to United States law.  The passport number may be entered in a permanent data base.  4) The individual subject to United States law will be required to submit a signed letter confirming, under penalty of perjury, that all daily expenses incurred within the Republic of Cuba on behalf of the individual subject to United States law were paid for by an individual or entity not subject to United States law.  5) The OFAC may send a letter to the individual subject to United States law requiring additional proof that the visit to the Republic of Cuba was “fully hosted.”  There are an increasing variety of categories under which individuals subject to United States law can obtain a license from the OFAC to travel to the Republic of Cuba.  Information on these categories may be obtained on the Internet at http://www.cubatrade.org at the section “Who Can Travel To The Republic Of Cuba.”

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, MEDICAL INSTRUMENT, MEDICAL SUPPLY, AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT EXPORTS- Member companies of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council were the recipients of the first, second, and third licenses issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury authorizing travel by company representatives to the Republic of Cuba for the purpose of exploring sales opportunities for medical equipment, medical instrument, medical supply, and pharmaceutical products.  A member company of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council was the recipient of the first license issued by the Bureau of Export Administration of the United States Department of Commerce authorizing temporary export of medical equipment to the Republic of Cuba for demonstration purposes during discussions to explore sales opportunities.  The license text included the statement: “The approval of this export should be construed as precedent for future exports of medical devices to Cuba.”

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZES ADVERTISEMENTS- The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C., has confirmed that United States companies may provide camera-ready artwork to Republic of Cuba-based publications and make payments to Republic of Cuba-based publications for the placement of advertisements in Republic of Cuba-based publications.  This 20 June 1997 response to the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council was based upon 14 May 1997 correspondence written on behalf of a member of the organization who was interested in placing an advertisement in the inaugural English-language monthly edition of Negocios en Cuba, a 16-page business publication published by the Republic of Cuba government-controlled Prensa Latina News Agency.  The weekly Spanish-language edition of Negocios en Cuba recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.  The United States government also permits United States companies to produce, deliver, and receive payment for, completed commercials and programing to be aired on Republic of Cuba-based television stations and Republic of Cuba-based radio stations, and to purchase Republic of Cuba-produced programing for use in the United States and other countries.