President Diaz-Canel meets Friends of Cuba

A very significant but not so covered in the media, during the three-day visit of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), over the weekend was an encounter with Vincentian friends of Cuba, as represented by the SVG/Cuba Friendship Society, and a broad representation of Cuban internationalist workers here.

Held at the visiting Cubans’ home-base at the beachcombers hotel, it was an historic occasion bringing together the Cuban Head of State and entourage with faithful Vincentian supporters of the Cuban people and Cuban workers who have been giving of their valuable service to the Vincentian people.

The Cuban workers, in differing fields of endeavour, but all distinguishing themselves in service to the Vincentian people, conveyed to their Leader their experiences here and the degree to which they have been welcomed and integrated into the local communities, particularly in the rural areas. This is in spite of the efforts of a politically biased minority to try to create suspicion and enmity between Cuban internationalist workers and Vincentians.

For the local Friendship Society, formed by voluntary association some 46 years ago, it was an honour to be invited by the president of Cuba to meet and exchange views. Long-standing “cog’ of the Society, Renwick Rose, delivered a brief address on the historical development of the society since 1976, emphasizing its unstinting support for Cuba over the years.

He encouraged the Society not only to broaden its ranks with more local people but also to invite Cuban internationalist workers here to attend and participate in the work of the Society.

President Diaz-Canel addressed the gathering, welcoming and praising the work of both the Cubans and the Vincentians who have stood alongside Cuba all these years. He expressed appreciation for the work of the Cuban internationalists and his delight to hear how they were integrating into the local communities.

Cuba stands ready to provide even more such support to SVG when requested, he said.

He also took the opportunity to present a special award of Cuba’s Institute for the Friendship Peoples (ICAP) to the Chair of the Vincentian Friendship Society, Bernard Hamilton, for its role in promoting friendship and solidarity between the people of Cuba and St Vincent and the Grenadines over the years.

President Diaz-Canel specifically thanked the Friendship Society for its humanitarian contributions to the Cuban people following recent disasters on that island.