-cites `deleterious effects’ of US embargo
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-Cuba relationship has deepened and matured, serving as an exemplar of South-South cooperation and a point of great honour for both CARICOM and Cuba. This was the theme of a speech by Prime Minister of Grenada and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, Dickon Mitchell, on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between CARICOM Member States and Cuba, a release yesterday from the Community stated. The Prime Minister recalled the “symbolic and bold act” taken by Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago on December 8, 1972, to establish diplomatic ties with Cuba despite prevailing global political tensions, and in doing, so ushered an exemplary partnership.He noted that since that historic day, the CARICOM-Cuba relationship has deepened and matured, serving as an exemplar of South-South cooperation and a point of great honour for both CARICOM and Cuba. “Indeed, the Member States of the Community highly value our cooperation, which has been of immense assistance, bilaterally and regionally, particularly with regard to human capacity building and the provision of health care, critical inputs to improving the welfare of our people.”
The Chairman expressed pride that this friendship, solidarity, and cooperation, has withstood the test of time, pointing out that Cuba has provided very substantial levels of assistance, despite the “deleterious effects” of the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against a sister Caribbean country. He also took the opportunity to reiterate CARICOM’s call for the total lifting of what he termed, “this anachronistic embargo.” Prime Minister Mitchell also expressed on behalf of the Caribbean Community, solidarity with Cuba, which he noted has been adversely affected by recent hurricanes and an earthquake. These natural disasters, he reminded, have caused significant damage to Cuba’s infrastructure and tested the resilience of its government and people.
