Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, has hailed the ‘mutually beneficial relationship’ with Cuba as the 15-member regional grouping marks the 44th anniversary of Caricom-Cuba diplomatic relations.
“The friendship between Caricom and the Republic of Cuba has grown stronger as we have built a mutually beneficial relationship over the past 44 years. As developing countries, we face similar challenges in our attempt to improve the lives of our people. This has ensured that we have worked together to identify areas where we can assist each other in our development efforts,” the Dominican prime minister said in a statement.
He said that ever since the four Caribbean countries embraced Cuba into their diplomatic fold, Caricom has been steadfast in its advocacy for Cuba to be integrated into the wider hemisphere of which it is so integrally a part.
“Our triennial summits which began in 2002 have served to strengthen the solidarity between the community and Cuba as they provide a forum for deepening the ties that bind us. I look forward to the sixth Summit which is scheduled for next year in Antigua and Barbuda.”
Skerrit said that the results of those discussions have seen an intensification of the generous and meaningful technical assistance which Cuba renders to the Caricom.
“Caricom has benefitted in its most critical areas of need, most importantly in the field of health, in the provision and training of both medical doctors and health care workers. Assistance has also been forthcoming to build regional capacity in the social and cultural fields, and to strengthen competencies in disaster management, agriculture and sport.”
He said that the signing in Georgetown, Guyana, on Caricom-Cuba Day, of a Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of Guyana and Cuba and the Caricom Secretariat, in relation to the “Regional Training Centre for Development and Stimulation of Children, Adolescents and Young People with Special Educational Needs Associated with Disabilities” is another gesture of solidarity and fraternity which is profoundly appreciated by the community.
“This very substantial level of assistance has been provided despite the deleterious effects on Cuba of the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States against our sister Caribbean country.
“Caricom has long been an advocate for the normalisation of the relations between the United States and Cuba. While we welcome the progress in that regard, we reiterate the community’s call for the full lifting of the economic, trade and financial embargo against that sister nation.”
Skerrit noted that on November 25 , Fidel Castro, the revolutionary leader of Cuba died and Caricom will always remember him “as an outstanding friend and genuine partner who offered the expertise of his country to help develop independent countries across Latin America, the Caribbean as well as in Africa.
“In that regard, I would like, on behalf of Caricom, to express once again, our heartfelt solidarity and sympathy with the Cuban people and Government at his loss. His memory lives on in our mission to provide for our people and to build a world in which fairness and peace prevail.”
Skerrit said he is confident that Caricom’s relations with Cuba “will continue to flourish in the years ahead” and was taking the “opportunity to reiterate the community’s commitment to the further strengthening and enhancement of the close bonds of friendship, cooperation and solidarity which unite us”.