Commentary: The Death Of Cuban Leader, Fidel Castro

By: Wesley Kirton

SOUTH FLORIDA – “Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments,” Hollande (the French President) said in a statement.

This is an apt description of the political life of Fidel who once said “when an energetic and virile people cry, injustice trembles.”

His efforts to champion the cause of the poor and powerless not only in Cuba, but elsewhere, must be commended especially while enduring the challenges brought about by an unnecessary US embargo.

Perhaps it were these challenges that pushed him in the direction to restrict certain basic human rights and freedoms. But of what use is freedom of speech if one is too hungry and weak to talk? Fidel ensured his people were all fed and had access to health care.

No one and no system is perfect. The winner of the popular vote in the US is not the winner of the presidency due to an electoral college system that a vast majority of Americans can’t comprehend, yet Castro’s one-party system elections were always criticized. So whatever one’s view of Fidel might be, like each of us, he had his strengths and weaknesses!

RIP Fidel Castro!

It is my fervent wish that US/Cuba relations will continue to improve under President Trump and that he will not undo the progress which has been made under President Obama.

As for Cuba/Caribbean relations, these for over 40 years have been of mutual benefit.

Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados took the bold step of establishing relations with Cuba when many in Latin America lacked the courage to, a signal from these newly independent Caribbean nations that Cuba would not be isolated in the region.

Over the years Cuba has offered tangible assistance to the CARICOM region through scholarships and technical assistance in various fields including medicine, agriculture, the arts and more.

Condolences to the Cuban people whose hospitality I have enjoyed on several occasions, as recent as two weeks ago.