PM Lee in Havana, Cuba for two-day official visit
By Channel NewsAsia's Imelda Saad in Havana | Posted: 01 December 2009 1709 hrs

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HAVANA, CUBA: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is in Havana, Cuba for a two-day official visit to get to know the leaders post-Fidel Castro and the Cuban system, with Fidel's brother Raoul now president and in charge.

Mr Lee met Cuban Vice-President Jose Ramon Ventura on Tuesday. He also toured the old Havana area, which is the district where Cuba's urbanisation and development started. Earlier in the morning, Mr Lee laid a wreath at the Jose Marti Memorial.

Singapore officials said that while the visit is an exploratory one, they do see potential for business opportunities.

An IE Singapore delegation is accompanying Mr Lee on the trip. The team sees business opportunities in the area of fishery, for example. It seems Cuba exports very good lobsters.

The IE Singapore team is also interested in Cuba's port sector. Interestingly, both Cuba and Singapore already have strong links in the area of science and technology.

Singapore's National Environment Agency and Cuba's Institute of Tropical Medicine are collaborating on dengue research, while Singapore's National Cancer Centre and Cuba's Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology are conducting clinical trials on new cancer therapies.

- CNA/ir