A BLOCKADED NATION HELPED ANOTHER BLOCKADED NATION

Feb 28, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

As I listened to the speeches at the opening session of the Meeting of Conference of Heads of State and Governments of Caricom, it became clear to me that some political leaders, know more than they dare to say, and worry more than they dare to show. Further, I am reminded of Kissinger’s; ‘Nations have pursued self-interest more frequently than high-minded principle and have competed more than they have co-operated. There is little evidence to suggest this age-old adage of behaviour has changed or that it is likely to change in decades ahead.’

That said, I was particularly moved by the intervention of Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the smallest of member states at the gathering whose leader was the only one, with courage and forthrightness, to speak about how the humanitarian crisis is affecting the Cuban people.

PM Drew disclosed that he lived in Cuba for seven years as a student. That he has friends and people there “who are like family” to him; they reached out and told him; “food has become terribly scarce, access to water is challenging, garbage fill the streets, and houses are without electricity.”

The Prime Minister called on his colleagues to address the humanitarian crisis in Cuba warning: “A destabilized Cuba will affect the whole region.”

I would like The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis to know that he is not alone, there are thousands in Guyana who feel the pain.

Those who feel it know it. History matters, it has helped bring about an understanding of the past and present.

For the young who never knew it and the old, who may have forgotten that British Guiana under the 1957-1964 PPP government faced an air and sea blockade.

I refer to the year 1963, when the weapon of an air and sea blockade was used against the Jagan-led PPP government. It was around that period that the Eisenhower Administration, authorised a series of measures against Cuba: (i) termination of US sugar purchases,’ (ii)end of US oil deliveries, (iii) continuation of the arms embargo, and (iv) organization of a para-military force of Cuban emigres to assault the island and overthrow Fidel Castro.’

Referring to the 1963 period when his government was faced with the air and sea blockade, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, in ‘The West on Trial’ wrote; ‘…Ships were refused entry to port Georgetown. The excuse was that ‘the ships were blacklisted.’ According to Dr. Jagan; ‘The shipping blockade created many shortages of food’ and other essentials. Owing to pressure from the colonial authorities, ‘International airlines were forced to cease flights’ on the pretext that ground staff was unavailable.

Of great relevance was his reference to the fuel blockade. He wrote: ‘The flow of oil was the Achilles heel.’ Productive industries were starved of fuel. ‘The colonial power refused a request to import fuel from Venezuela and the Netherland Antilles.’ As regards oil from Trinidad, a case was made out that ‘risks and sabotage’ made Guiana an ‘unsatisfactory harbour.’

Faced with a total blockade, Dr. Jagan made ‘an appeal to Cuba for help. Cuba responded positively and promptly, but storage was a problem.’ Dr. Jagan went on to disclose that, ‘The US government refused the use of their storage tanks at Ramsburg.’ In response, ‘Government resorted to the use of storage tanks at the electricity corporation in Georgetown and New Amsterdam.’

‘In June a Cuban tanker ‘MV Cuba’ arrived in Georgetown with fuel and gasoline’ thus breaking the fuel blockade. Later, in July, a Russian vessel arrived at Port Georgetown ‘with flour thus breaking the food blockade’. The rest is history.

Sixty-three years after, the Cuban people are currently experiencing an excruciating humanitarian crisis. Those same people had responded tangibly when the Guyanese people faced a blockade. Guyana has always voted at the United Nations in favour of resolutions rejecting the US imposed blockade of Cuba. Now is the time for action.

Since fuel is considered a commercial not a humanitarian issue, it follows that food, medicine and other essentials can be despatched from Guyana to Cuba as a humanitarian gesture. The point is; “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” (Goethe)

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A BLOCKADED NATION HELPED ANOTHER BLOCKADED NATION

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