Guyana yesterday celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations with Cuba and hailed decades of assistance in the medical and educational fields from Havana.
In a release yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke of it as being the “Golden Jubilee of formal diplomatic relations” and celebrated the “strong bonds of cooperation and friendship, of solidarity and mutual respect, which join our two nations” while looking forward to the further strengthening of bilateral relations in the years ahead.
The release noted that on December 8th in 1972, four independent CARICOM States, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, took what it described as “a courageous and historic decision” to establish formal diplomatic ties with Havana. That act, it stated, marked a defining moment in the course of hemispheric relations as it signalled the beginning of the end of Cuba’s isolation in the hemisphere. Indeed, Cuba’s active contributions have been integral to socioeconomic progress in many of the countries of the region, including Guyana.
The ministry on behalf of the government and people of Guyana expressed gratitude for what it termed the “selfless and unstinting service” of successive Cuban medical brigades which included doctors, dentists, nurses, technicians, and other medical experts. These, it acknowledged, have made an “invaluable” contribution to healthcare for thousands of Guyanese citizens throughout the far reaches of country. Also referenced was the “thousands of scholarships” offered to Guyanese students to pursue careers in medicine, engineering, information technology, agriculture, sports and other fields. Mention was also made of the increase in trade and commerce along with people-to-people contact between the two countries.
The release affirmed that Guyana stands “resolutely” with the Cuban people in their longstanding quest for the removal of the economic, commercial and financial embargo under which they have laboured for more than six decades. “We renew our call for an end to this policy and reaffirm our conviction that the normalisation of relations between the United States of America and Cuba will contribute to peace, stability and development in the Americas.”
Guyana, it was pointed out, has been pleased to stand with the Cuban people in the face of myriad other challenges, including those occasioned by natural disasters. Further, it was stated that the two countries will continue to collaborate at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels on a range of issues of mutual concern.
“As we commemorate the fruitful relations our two countries have enjoyed over the past fifty years, we express our firm commitment to partnership with the Government and people of Cuba in the mutual realisation of the highest aspirations of our peoples to peace, development, human rights and dignity,” the release added.
