Fri Aug 02, 2013

EDITOR: The St Vincent and the Grenadines/Cuba Friendship Society wishes once again to state our firm solidarity with the Government and people of the Socialist Republic of Cuba, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada barracks in 1953, which marked the start of the Cuban Revolution which triumphed at the beginning of 1959.{{more}}

That attack, led by the first head of the Cuban Revolution, Comandante Fidel Castro, and his successor as Cuban President, Raul Castro, though repressed bloodily, had its fruits in the eventual victory of the Cuban people over the Batista dictatorship. It opened the way to the impressive achievements of the Cuban people in many areas of human endeavour, previously unthinkable under the dictatorship.

Those achievements, though, continue to be limited by the cruel embargo and attempted isolation of Cuba by its northern neighbour, restricting its ability to even better serve the needs of its people. In spite of this embargo, more and more people all over the world continue to express their solidarity with the Cuban people and their right to choose their own path to development.

Cuba’s circumstances are different from the experiences of those of us in the rest of the Caribbean who have been thankfully spared the horrors of military dictatorship and unbridled foreign domination. Yet, that country and its government continue to make impressive contributions to Caribbean economic and social development, at great sacrifice on the part of its people. Our Argyle international airport is but the most prominent demonstration of Cuban friendship and solidarity, manifested practically in such areas as health, education, social development and political solidarity.

Regrettably, our people have not always reciprocated fittingly and there is still a lack of appreciation and fulsome gratitude for Cuba’s assistance to us. Some amongst us confuse their disagreement with Cuban state policy with hostility towards our sister-Caribbean people and allow themselves to become victims of the propaganda of those who have neither the interests of the Cuban or Vincentian people at heart.

On this occasion, as we reiterate our firm solidarity, the SVG/Cuba Friendship Society, expresses the hope that our people not only demonstrate greater appreciation of selfless Cuban assistance, but also that we try to do more, both as a people, and Government, to reciprocate Cuban friendship and assistance, to rebuff the efforts of those who would drive wedges between our respective peoples, and to develop further our bonds of friendship as one Caribbean people.

We can do better; we must do better.

LONG LIVE THE FRIENDSHIP AND SOLIDARITY BETWEEN OUR PEOPLES!

Renwick E.A. Rose
President SVG/CUBA Friendship Society