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President Ramotar endorses Cuba chairing CELAC in 2013
According to Government Information Agency (GINA), the administration, under the new President Donald
President Donald Ramotar
Ramotar, is continuing to lobby for the inclusion of Cuba in the affairs of the hemisphere and believes that the handing over the chairmanship of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in 2013 to the Spanish-speaking island would be fitting.
Ramotar made this call in a message to the IV CARICOM-Cuba summit held last Thursday and Friday in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
Ramotar’s message was read by Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.
The 33 foreign ministers who gathered for the inaugural summit of CELAC in Caracas, Venezuela, on December 1, voted unanimously for Cuba to host the 2013 summit.
Guyana’s “excellent” relationship with Cuba was echoed by Ramotar, including the government’s firm stand on the lifting of the “unjust economic, trade and financial embargo against Cuba.”
During the opening session of the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad in April 2009, US President Barack Obama had promised to end the 47-year old embargo, which the US held against the island.
The promise, which also included easing travel restrictions and allowing remittances to flow to Cuba, came as Obama held talks with a delegation of regional heads led by former Guyana president Bharrat Jagdeo.
Ramotar said in his message that the two-day summit would provide the opportunity to review the existing programme of cooperation between CARICOM and Cuba and acknowledged the proposals made by Cuba that can give added impetus to the two countries’ relations.
“This gesture is a further demonstration of Cuba’s continued commitment to assist – through both bilateral and regional programmes – the economic and social development of our countries, despite the several challenges facing the Cuban people. My government is especially grateful to the government and people of Cuba for the selfless and valuable contribution to the development of our country and to the welfare of its people,” Ramotar said.
December 8 was CARICOM-Cuba Day, and marked 39 years since Guyana, along with Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, established diplomatic relations with Cuba.
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