CARICOM Condemns Economic Blockade of Cuba

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba, Dec 8 (acn) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) today condemned the US economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba and hopes that the new US administration puts aside such an economic warlike policy.

A surprising cold war relic still subsists, said Baldwin Spencer, who is the pro-tempore president of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community during the Cuba-CARICOM Summit, underway in this eastern Cuban city.

Spencer, who is also Antigua-Barbuda’s Prime Minister, recalled that today’s world is quite different from that of the 1970´s, while Washington maintains its blockade of Cuba although the overwhelming majority of UN member nations have voted against the US measure.

The Caribbean Community hopes that the ongoing changes in the United States definitely make the US measure a past chapter, said Baldwin.

Cuban President Raul Castro previously gave the opening speech at the event’s inaugural session and affirmed that Cuba will honor its commitment to its sister nations by going ahead with its integration efforts in new cooperation ways.

On behalf of the rest of Caribbean leaders, Baldwin acknowledged the role played by Cuba as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement in the 2006-2009 period of time. He extended his gratefulness to Cuba for its assistance in the fields of health and education.

CARICOM countries are being benefited by the work of highly skilled personnel in the fields of engineering, agriculture, medicine, sports and arts; those professionals are helping develop capacities in each nation, he said.

Baldwin Spencer stated forth the position of the CARICOM on the need to produce changes in the international financial system and that the United Nations should play a leading role in the issues related to world economic management.

He favored to the establishing a true international monetary reserve system, which avoids the dependence of the countries on the national currencies to keep their reserves.

Spencer also requested Cuba’s support of a petition of a international financial system aimed at the foreign debt management so that it allows for a wider debate space for vulnerable economies, like those of small island states that make up CARICOM.

Baldwin Spencer also reiterated CARICOM´s willingness to take new steps towards regional integration and sent a solidarity message to the Cuban people affected by recent hurricanes that recently hard hit Cuba. The pro-tempore CARICOM president announced that Cuban Revolution Leader Fidel Castro would be granted the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC).

Fidel has proved that Cuba is and continues to be a true friend, said Specncer as he said that the OCC is a public acknowledgement to Fidel for his support of the economic and social development of the Caribbean Community.

Comunidad del Caribe condenó bloqueo yanqui a Cuba