GREATER GEORGETOWN, Guyana – On a day that marked the 37th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba, the Community’s Secretary-General H. E Edwin Carrington welcomed yet another Ambassador from the Spanish speaking country accredited to CARICOM.
The event took place on Tuesday 8th December at the headquarters of CARICOM, Guyana, where His Excellency Raúl Gortázar Marrero, Cuba’s Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM was welcomed in a formal ceremony, followed by a Vin d’honneur in commemoration of CARICOM-Cuba Day 2009.
Secretary-General Carrington in welcoming the Ambassador reflected on the relationship between Cuba and the Community, noting that Caribbean/Cuba cooperation had its roots in the bold steps by Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in 1972 to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba.
“To give effect to our cooperation, a CARICOM-Cuba Joint Commission Agreement was signed on 13 December 1993. Your appointment today, almost sixteen years to the day after the signing of that Agreement, as well as on the very date on which that historic diplomatic act was taken – 8 December – should be viewed as particularly auspicious and portentous,” the Secretary-General stated.
He added that since 1972 the Community had taken action to fully embrace Cuba as a member of the regional family. He highlighted Cuba’s membership in the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and the advocacy of the Region for Cuba to be integrated in wider hemispheric institutions as well as in the ACP Group of States, its candidacy for which was sponsored by CARICOM.
He also highlighted the trade and economic agreement that CARICOM Member States and Cuba entered into in 2000 and the participation of Cuba in the Latin America and Caribbean Integration and Development (CALC) process and in the Rio Group. He stressed that CARICOM continued to advocate for the lifting of the decades old trade embargo against Cuba.
Mr. Carrington informed that Cuba had consistently demonstrated its appreciation of the actions and positions taken by the Community over the years He pointed to Cuba’s assistance to the Community in developing the Region’s human resources. He pointed to such professionals as doctors, agronomists, sports directors, cultural artistes and many others trained in Cuba who were now practising in CARICOM Member States.
“Of particular significance is the support provided in the medical field. Not only have our people been served by numerous Cuban doctors and nurses who have been assigned to our hospitals over the years, but perhaps no area has given greater insight into the people-centred nature of this assistance, or is indeed more deeply appreciated by the people of the Community, than the El Miraglo programme, which enabled thousands of our citizens who have expressed their appreciation in the words of that popular hymn, “I once was blind, but now I see.” In addition, I must extend in particular our gratitude for the contribution which Cuba has made to the delivery of health services in Haiti,” the Secretary-General informed.
Mr. Carrington emphasised that it was his pleasure to accept the Ambassador’s letter of appointment and further expressed the expectation that the relations between the Community and Cuba will flourish in the years ahead.
