WHEN THE REGION marked CARICOM-Cuba Day last Saturday, it signalled the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the first four independent CARICOM countries (Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago), and the Government of Cuba in 1972.

It also affirmed reciprocal commitments which have resulted in mutual benefit.

In his capacity as the present Chair of CARICOM, Prime Minister Owen Arthur, in a statement to mark the day, noted that over the past 35 years, the relationship between CARICOM and the Republic of Cuba had been marked by a number of significant milestones, the most recent of which was the signing in 2005 of the Declaration of Bridgetown by the CARICOM Heads of State and government of Cuba.

"Our mutual commitment to co-operation was reaffirmed by the CARICOM-Cuba Cultural Co-operation Agreement of December 8, 2005. This agreement facilitated a continuation and a deepening of the many collaborative links which the Community had already forged with Cuba, including co-operation in the areas of health, sports, engineering, education, culture and in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS," Arthur said.

Strengthen relations

A release issued by the CARICOM Secretariat recalled that CARICOM-Cuba Day had emerged as one of the elements of the Havana Declaration adopted in December, 2002 by CARICOM Heads of Government. The declaration, among other things, sought to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations between Cuba and CARICOM and called on the Community and Cuba to celebrate CARICOM-Cuba Day on December 8 of each year.

Since then, it was noted, the Community had marked the day with several major activities, including the hosting of the Second CARICOM-Cuba Summit in Barbados in 2005 under the theme: Strategies For Caribbean Development, and the signing of the Declaration of Bridgetown; the production of print and electronic features depicting the progress of CARICOM-Cuba relations and increased exposure of CARICOM to the culture of Cuba through wide use of Cuban music and other cultural forms, and a statement by the chairman of CARICOM.

CARICOM secretary-general Edwin Carrington stated that Cuba continued to be a valued partner of CARICOM in many areas of functional co-operation, including education, health and sport.

"The Caribbean Community welcomes CARICOM-Cuba Day as an occasion on which it can express the Community's appreciation to the government and people of Cuba for the technical and other forms of assistance which have been provided to the member states at both the national and regional levels," Carrington said.

He cited tangible contributions to the development of human capital in the region. Under the CARICOM/Cuba Scholarship programme, many CARICOM nationals have completed undergraduate programmes in a wide range of disciplines.

The invaluable service of Cuban doctors and nurses in several hospitals in member states has injected life in the health of the region and many Caribbean peoples have also benefited under the Cuba/Caribbean Eye
Care Project.

The Community has also acknowledged that over the 35 years, Cuba has played a significant role in promoting and preserving the Caribbean culture, through its cultural experts and institutions. The cultural agreement saw the promotion and development of cultural events.

At the trade and economic levels, the Community has established a presence in Cuba embodied in the Trade Facilitation Office, opened by Trinidad and Tobago earlier this year.

And, according to Arthur, "the common Caribbean identity shared between Cuba and the Community has been integral in encouraging South-South co-operation, facilitated through fora such as G77, where Cuba and CARICOM collaborate to ensure cohesive articulation and promotion of collective economic and development interests". (BGIS)