This summit assumes tremendous importance as it is being convened only a year before we mark the 40th anniversary of the bold and courageous decision taken by illustrious Heads of Governments of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago to establish diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba.
These eminent Caribbean statesmen now deceased, Errol Barrow, Forbes Burnham, Michael Manley, and one of my highly revered predecessors in office, Dr. Eric Eustace Williams, had a vision of a Caribbean civilization which embraced all of the territories washed by the Caribbean Sea.
They saw Cuba as an integral part of such a civilization. They affirmed that the island which shares geographical, historical, cultural ties to the rest of the region, and which had given birth to liberators such as Jose Marti and Antonio Maceo, should not continue to suffer the indignity of isolation.
They advanced that this isolation was fostered by a cold war that was driven by forces external to our region and for whom the genesis of a Caribbean civilization was not geo-politically significant.
It is because of that landmark development in diplomacy that we are able to meet here today as members of one Caribbean family.
In December 2002, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the four CARICOM countries, former President of the Republic of Cuba, Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz, described the event as an
In December 2002, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the four CARICOM countries, former President of the Republic of Cuba, Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz, described the event as an
“…unquestionably brave political decision...a fundamental step toward breaking the diplomatic and trade blockade on Cuba in the region, and a breach in the isolation imposed on Cuba through the OAS”.
I submit that the regional integration movement is stronger today because of that act.
Despite some of its setbacks, the regional integration movement has made tremendous strides since the embrace of Cuba by the first four CARICOM countries to attain independence.
Despite some of its setbacks, the regional integration movement has made tremendous strides since the embrace of Cuba by the first four CARICOM countries to attain independence.
Today, all 14 independent Member States of CARICOM have established diplomatic relations with Cuba, and a number of them, including my own country, Trinidad and Tobago have resident diplomatic missions in Cuba. In turn, Cuba has opened embassies throughout the region.
These bilateral missions have been used to engender greater contacts between CARICOM Member States and Cuba, thus helping to fulfill the vision of our founding fathers. Through them, cooperation has been witnessed in several areas redounding to the benefit of both citizens of CARICOM and Cuba.
These bilateral missions have been used to engender greater contacts between CARICOM Member States and Cuba, thus helping to fulfill the vision of our founding fathers. Through them, cooperation has been witnessed in several areas redounding to the benefit of both citizens of CARICOM and Cuba.
While both parties have received some benefits through initiatives such as the Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement and the Cultural Cooperation Agreement, we must work assiduously to breathe new life into the CARICOM-Cuba Joint Commission.
The mandate of the Commission is to promote technical cooperation, human resource development, disaster management, meteorology, tourism and trade, but it has not met since 2005.
The mandate of the Commission is to promote technical cooperation, human resource development, disaster management, meteorology, tourism and trade, but it has not met since 2005.
We must put arrangements in place for the convening of a meeting of this vital institution in order to examine whether any of the agreements between CARICOM and Cuba needs to be streamlined in order to meet the challenges posed by a rapidly changing and volatile global economic and financial order.
As a family, we have also witnessed the valuable support we provide to each other in other global and hemispheric organizations. These include the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), which I am proud to say has its headquarters here in Trinidad and Tobago, and whose founding summit was attended by the venerable Fidel Castro himself, who used the opportunity to re-emphasize his vision of pan-Caribbean unity.
As a family, we have also witnessed the valuable support we provide to each other in other global and hemispheric organizations. These include the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), which I am proud to say has its headquarters here in Trinidad and Tobago, and whose founding summit was attended by the venerable Fidel Castro himself, who used the opportunity to re-emphasize his vision of pan-Caribbean unity.
The importance of solidarity between CARICOM and Cuba has also brought about a stronger role for groupings such as the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) at the United Nations.
CARICOM was resolute in its support of Cuba’s candidature for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) at the first elections in 2006, and again for re-election in 2009 despite vigorous attempts by others to frustrate the candidature.
Additionally, all CARICOM Members voted consistently in favour of the annual UN General Assembly Resolution which calls for an end to the trade embargo and blockade of Cuba. This was no different in October this year when 186 States voted in support of the resolution with 2 against, and 3 abstentions.
Once again CARICOM demonstrated its commitment to the principles underlying resolutions adopted by the General of Assembly of the world’s premier multilateral institution.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen...
It is this type of support, this type of resolve and commitment to regionalism in our family which gives me a sense of optimism for the success of new initiatives promoting hemispheric collaboration such as the Summit of Heads of State and Government of Latin America and the Caribbean on Integration and Development (CELAC), which I had the honour of attending a few days ago in Caracas.
My government sees CELAC, not as a replacement to any hemispheric organizations but essential in the provision of tremendous opportunities for renewed cooperation among developing countries of the hemisphere, especially at a time when traditional markets and sources of investment in the north are experiencing severe challenges.
Once again CARICOM demonstrated its commitment to the principles underlying resolutions adopted by the General of Assembly of the world’s premier multilateral institution.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen...
It is this type of support, this type of resolve and commitment to regionalism in our family which gives me a sense of optimism for the success of new initiatives promoting hemispheric collaboration such as the Summit of Heads of State and Government of Latin America and the Caribbean on Integration and Development (CELAC), which I had the honour of attending a few days ago in Caracas.
My government sees CELAC, not as a replacement to any hemispheric organizations but essential in the provision of tremendous opportunities for renewed cooperation among developing countries of the hemisphere, especially at a time when traditional markets and sources of investment in the north are experiencing severe challenges.
We owe it to ourselves and succeeding generations to harness the abundance of human and natural resources, coupled with the technological advances being achieved by countries like Brazil to ensure that these resources are used in a sustainable manner to achieve the economic development of our countries and meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Areas of collaboration will include:
Areas of collaboration will include:
- Creation of a Training centre for the treatment of Physical disabilities to assist children and youths
- Creation of a Caribbean Regional School of Arts, to be set up in one of the CARICOM countries which would include the specialties of the performing arts , dance and visual and fine arts
- Projects to provide technical assistance to the Caribbean Regional Information and Translation Institute based in Suriname
- Project to provide technical assistance for the recovery of banana crops in those Caribbean Community member states which have been affected by the eradication of the preference system that used to be granted by the European Union under the Lome Convention.
- Project to provide technical assistance for the restoration of fishing in the Caribbean countries
- Project to provide technical assistance for the prospecting , treatment and purification of water, the construction of Dams and micro dams, among other things
- Project for repairing services for the Caribbean sugar industry mainly in Guyana , Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago
- Projects for the construction of bridges, docks, highways, and infrastructure
- Proposal of regional corporation to cope with natural disasters
On a national level, I wish to pay tribute to the Cuban Government and the heroic people of that country for assisting Trinidad and Tobago with its own national development.
We are grateful for the support of Cuba through the provision of physicians, nurses and other health technicians to augment our local health professionals under the Technical Cooperation Agreement entered into by both countries in 2003.
We are grateful for the support of Cuba through the provision of physicians, nurses and other health technicians to augment our local health professionals under the Technical Cooperation Agreement entered into by both countries in 2003.
The Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago is in the process of a new round of recruitment. The aim is to recruit 65 health care professionals in the local health system in the upcoming months.
Cooperation also exists between both countries in the spheres of sport and culture. This year’s annual Caribbean festival in Santiago de Cuba (Festival del Caribe) was dedicated to the culture of Trinidad and Tobago.
A delegation comprising various artistes and headed by the Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism were specially invited guests at the festival. Our national instrument, the steel pan, can also be found in different places in Cuba as a result of this growing cultural contact between our peoples.
I am sure the warm and visionaryfounding fathers that made that decisive diplomatic move in 1972 to bring Cuba out of the cold, are satisfied in their resting places as we seek to bring the cultural diversity of Trinidad and Tobago increasingly to the fore in our bi-lateral relations.
Additionally, in the field of tertiary education, we are thankful to our sisters and brothers in Cuba for opening up their universities through the provision of scholarships to nationals of Trinidad and Tobago to read for many degrees including medicine, engineering and the creative arts.
I admire the generosity and sense of kinship of the Government and people of Cuba, who despite their own economic and financial challenges are still imbued with a sense of kindness unmatched even among those countries which are better circumstanced.
This is the type of solidarity that is needed in an integration movement to ensure its success. In Trinidad and Tobago we are also conscious of the need to offer assistance to our brothers and sisters in CARICOM.
Additionally, in the field of tertiary education, we are thankful to our sisters and brothers in Cuba for opening up their universities through the provision of scholarships to nationals of Trinidad and Tobago to read for many degrees including medicine, engineering and the creative arts.
I admire the generosity and sense of kinship of the Government and people of Cuba, who despite their own economic and financial challenges are still imbued with a sense of kindness unmatched even among those countries which are better circumstanced.
This is the type of solidarity that is needed in an integration movement to ensure its success. In Trinidad and Tobago we are also conscious of the need to offer assistance to our brothers and sisters in CARICOM.
My government remains steadfast in its commitment to provide financial and other assistance to our neighbours, while remaining acutely aware of our domestic issues which need to be addressed.
As I told the CELAC in Venezuela last week, Trinidad and Tobago, earlier this year, signed a Partial Scope Agreement with Panama and negotiations will soon commence with other Central American countries.
As I told the CELAC in Venezuela last week, Trinidad and Tobago, earlier this year, signed a Partial Scope Agreement with Panama and negotiations will soon commence with other Central American countries.
We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Brazil. We have signed the Laurens-Manatee Field Unification with Venezuela in August last year and we are working towards the development of this gas field for the mutual benefit of the citizens of Venezuela and of Trinidad and Tobago. And high on our agenda is the deepening of bi-lateral and multilateral cooperation with all the countries of CELAC.
So great is our commitment to regional integration that we are well advanced in becoming a bi-lingual nation in which Spanish will become Trinidad and Tobago’s second language.
For this reason I promise to play my part in deepening the cultural and economic links between CARICOM as a whole and with Cuba, and to work towards promoting the learning and greater use of the Spanish language throughout CARICOM.
Long live Caribbean regionalism and the benefits it will bring to generations yet unborn of Caribbean citizens.
So great is our commitment to regional integration that we are well advanced in becoming a bi-lingual nation in which Spanish will become Trinidad and Tobago’s second language.
For this reason I promise to play my part in deepening the cultural and economic links between CARICOM as a whole and with Cuba, and to work towards promoting the learning and greater use of the Spanish language throughout CARICOM.
Long live Caribbean regionalism and the benefits it will bring to generations yet unborn of Caribbean citizens.
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