Celebrating CARICOM/CUBA Solidarity

SEARCHLIGHT joins the governments and people of the entire CARICOM Region in our celebration of more than a half a century of cooperation and solidarity between the people of the Caribbean and the Cuban people.

Yesterday, December 8, was officially celebrated as CARICOM/Cuba Day. Its origin lies in an historic act of courage and solidarity by four Prime Ministers of the region on December 8, 1972.Then, only Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago among the English-speaking countries of this region had been able to formally reclaim their independence. The rest of the region was locked into various forms of external dependence, either as direct colonies of Britain as some so regretfully remain today, or, like other countries, were bound into a queer state of external dominance. Under Associate Statehood, we were nominally in control of our own internal affairs while the colonial power controlled our external relations.

Before the independence of the small island states in the 1974-1980 period, we had no say in choosing our friends internationally. Indeed, while this was formally so, in the seventies even most of the much larger, long independent states in the western hemisphere took their foreign policy directions from the United States of America. That country had, following the Cuban Revolution of 1959, adopted a hostile and isolationist position to that country. Acting through the Organisation of American States (OAS), most countries implemented a “No Cuba” policy with no relations diplomatically or otherwise. However, the outlook in the quartet of independent countries took independence very seriously. They recognized the urgent need for regional solidarity and that there was much in common between themselves and Cuba which could be best advanced by forging formal ties with Cuba. Thus, on December 8, 1972, Prime Ministers Barrow of Barbados, Burnham of Guyana, Manley of Jamaica, and Williams of Trinidad and Tobago took the courageous step to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba.

That bold action stirred much debate in this region and internationally. It turned out to be a visionary policy and most of the Eastern Caribbean islands did similarly over the next two decades as they achieved their own independence. In the case of St Vincent and the Grenadines, formal diplomatic relations with Cuba were established in May, 1992.The formal links have brought mutual benefit to all partners. Even when Cuba was formally isolated, that did not

stop the Cuban government and people from extending the hand of friendship to people of these islands. Thus, in 1979 after the eruption of the Soufriere volcano, the Cuban government dispatched a ship carrying vital relief supplies for the Vincentian people.

One year later, despite the refusal of Eastern Caribbean governments to take up scholarships to Cuban universities, students from these islands were accepted by Cuba to pursue tertiary studies free of cost.

There is no denial of the benefits which have accrued to us since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations.

Thousands of young people- from Belize to Guyanahave received free university and technical training in Cuba.There have been major health programmes which have benefitted our people tremendously, both in terms of Cuban health personnel sent to these countries for the benefit of our people, as well as such impactful programmes as the legendary “Vision Now” programme, among others.

In recent years however, the influence of right-wing policies over several regional governments have been undermining CARICOM/ Cuba solidarity and cooperation.

In addition, there has been the influence of self-serving professionals and some in the business sector. In Jamaica for instance, the government of Prime Minister Andrew Holness, strongly under the influence of the US President Trump and his clique, has been shying away from Cuban health assistance, even after the devastating effect of hurricane Melissa.

Even at home, there has been some disquiet amidst anecdotal reports that persons, local and otherwise, are lobbying the new government to at least tone down relations with Cuba, if not break them entirely.

The people of this country have benefitted a lot from our relations with Cuba.The new administration of our country must be aware even as it pays tribute to its late founder, Sir James Mitchell, that he it was, who had the courage to formally establish relations with Cuba 33 years ago. It would be an insult to his legacy and the proud independent tradition of our people to engage in such subservience.