Cuba waits for change under Obama

Dec 06, 2008 News

As leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba prepare to meet on Monday, both parties are hoping that the presidency of Barack Obama will bring change in the relations between Cuba and the United States.
While CARICOM has its hopes extended towards an end to the US trade embargo on Cuba, the Cuban authorities are less optimistic, and want to see Obama meet his promises on smaller issues.
Cuban Charge d’ Affairs in Guyana, Pedro Arteaga, said that Cuba will have to “wait and see” what will come out of a U.S. Administration under Obama. However, he noted that Obama has already made it clear that he will not end the trade embargo.
However, the U.S. President-elect has said that Americans will be allowed to travel freely to any country, and Cuban-Americans will be allowed to send money to their relatives in Cuba.
Cuba is grateful for the support of CARICOM, including that provided at the level of the United Nations. CARICOM and Cuba established ties 36 years ago, and leaders of the region have shared a close relationship with former President Fidel Castro.
This is the first time that the Caribbean leaders, who will be in Santiago De Cuba on Monday for the third CARICOM-Cuba summit, will not be meeting with Fidel Castro, but they plan to honour him in a special way.
Details of how they will do so were not revealed when this was announced at a press conference yesterday at the CARICOM Secretariat. Fidel Castro gave up the presidency to his brother, Raul, last February.
Meanwhile, the issues up for discussion at the CARICOM/ Cuba Summit range from the global financial crisis to climate change, to food security, Ambassador Colin Grandeson said.
The Caribbean Community has benefited from its cooperation programmes with Cuba through technical assistance, training and the sharing of knowledge and expertise in areas such as education, medicine, energy conservation and disaster management.
Mr Arteaga noted that Cuba currently has intensive health care programmes in eight CARICOM Member States: Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Saint Lucia, Suriname and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He announced that Guyana’s first ophthalmology centre at Port Mourant, which is being equipped and staffed by the Cubans, should begin operation by the end of the year.
A main focus of Cuba’s medical assistance to the Caribbean has been in the area of ophthalmology. About 54,000 persons with various eye problems have received treatment in Cuba.
Cuba has already set up ophthalmology centres in Grenada, Haiti and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The CARICOM/Cuba Summit is held every three years and coincides with CARICOM/Cuba Day.

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Cuba waits for change under Obama

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