• Submitted by: manso
• Politics and Government
• 10 / 22 / 2010

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The British Tunbridge Wells business consultancy accused the Lloyds TSB bank for refusing to exchange a check for 7,156 sterling pounds (some 12,000 US dollars) from a Cuban company.

The complaints were officially filed to the Business Secretary and EU authorities, reported Granma newspaper. The article says Lloyds TSB's refusal to process the Cuban transfer reveals the ongoing dependence of British banks to the United States as they try to avoid punishments that they could suffer if they don’t comply with the US sanctions against Cuba.

Neither the UK nor the EU have a similar trade blockade against the island, but the importance of the US market has been able to have British agencies aligned and violate the laws of their country.

Tunbridge Wells’ chairman, Barrie Bain said: “I find it outstanding that a bank controlled by the state is doing something that is against the law. It is damaging our business and presumably the export efforts of thousands of small UK companies.”

Bain, who specializes in providing advice on agricultural markets, particularly fertilizers and has 95% of his business overseas, has assured that the Cuban check was blocked a week ago. Bain said his research showed that under the Protection of Trade Interests Act and the EU Blocking Statute "it is illegal to block payments from Cuba".

Cuban News Agency Translation Staff