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Cuba-Jamaica: 50-year friendship survives Cold War
J'cans love Cubans, say diplomat
By HG HELPS Editor-at-Large [email protected]
Sunday, June 14, 2009
THE recent decision of the Organisation of American States (OAS) to end its expulsion of Cuba has vindicated Jamaica's staunch 50-year friendship with its socialist neighbour to the north.
It is a friendship which has survived the divisive Cold War pitting the West against the former Eastern bloc, as well as a local diplomatic tiff resulting in Jamaica severing official ties between the two Caribbean states.
In Honduras, the OAS voted to revoke a 1962 measure expelling Cuba, reversing a landmark of the Cold War in the hemisphere. The United States had won expulsion of Cuba in 1962 as the Castro government veered into the Socialist bloc. But in recent years, every country in the hemisphere, except for the US, has re-established relations with Cuba.
Jamaica's foreign minister, Dr Kenneth Baugh, was among those speaking for countries which showed open glee at the OAS decision for which it had fought long and hard and across political administrations.
"Jamaica and Caricom are delighted to have been part of this historic decision that rescinded Resolution 6 which suspended Cuba's participation in the Inter-American system," he said after the vote in San Pedro Sula.
"It is a victory for the pluralistic, democratic leadership of the member states of the OAS." Baugh gloated. "It augurs well for the continuation of the very commendable effort already undertaken by the USA and Cuba for the normalisation of bilateral relations and eventually for the lifting of the embargo," Dr Baugh added.
Cuba was catapulted to the centre of world history when Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz and his group of revolutionaries took control of the island in January 1959, toppling General Fulgencio Batista, a right-wing leader whom critics felt was allowing the island to look too much like another state of the United States.
Castro, an atheist who demonstrated his rebel traits from age 13 when he instigated a strike among workers on his father's plantation, ruled supreme until 2007, when poor health forced him to vacate the office of president, paving the way for his younger brother Raul to take charge.
Fidel, who survived several assassination attempts, some allegedly traced back to the United States, formed alliances and maintained friendships with administrations that were tolerant of his socialist state.
Jamaica's own involvement with Cuba took a negative turn during the 1960s when the conservative Jamaica Labour Party, whose leaders during the period - Sir Alexander Bustamante, Sir Donald Sangster and Hugh Shearer - all shared an anti-socialist philosophy, came to power.
But a dramatic ideological shift in 1972, saw the emergence of the Michael Manley-led People's National Party (PNP) with its Democratic Socialist philosophy, that brought with it a change in the relationship between the two countries.
There was a flood of activity on both sides of the fence, with Jamaica benefiting from an outpouring of generosity from its Spanish-speaking neighbour, including training in the fields of medicine, construction, engineering and agriculture, among others. The Cubans also built micro dams across the island, primarily to assist farmers with their crops in time of drought. The dams are all now out of use.
Two technical high schools, Garvey Maceo in Clarendon and Jose Marti in St Catherine, along with one tertiary institution, the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport at Angels, also in St Catherine, were among the structures put up by Cuban labour.
The symbols of education and further training still take pride of place on Cuba's local diplomatic mission's 'keep in touch' list. And based on the upbeat attitude of Cuba's senior envoy here, the relationship between the embassy and the schools seem better than the condition of most marriages.
"We maintain contact with the schools and we always invite them to our activities," Cuba's ambassador to Jamaica, Gisela Garcia Rivera told the Sunday Observer in an interview. "We always try to have students from Jose Marti and Garvey Maceo in our scholarship programmes."
Garcia Rivera was referring to the vibrant scholarship activity, part of the wider education assistance initiative which is also one of several co-operation projects between Jamaica and Cuba. The list also includes medicine, agriculture, fisheries, engineering, energy, transport and works, the eye care programme, sport, and telecommunications.
"There are lots of things that we would like to assist Jamaica with, but we are not able to do so now, like the restoration of some heritage sites," Garcia Rivera said.
Relations between the two friends would freeze again in 1980, arising out of the bloody general election that cost Jamaica over 800 lives. The then Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica Ulysses Estrada came under fire from the Opposition JLP which accused the diplomat of direct interference in Jamaica's internal affairs by publicly criticising the Edward Seaga-led JLP.
Estrada was swiftly expelled from Jamaica by new Prime Minister Seaga.
Diplomatic ties were severed, but promptly restored upon the PNP's return to power after the 1989 general election. Since then, there has been no semblance of the 1980 firestorm.
"Jamaicans love Cubans," said Garcia Rivera. "I have never seen or felt any hostility here. We have a lot of history of situations where Cubans were in danger and when ordinary Jamaican citizens realised that they were Cubans they assisted them. I am talking about situations involving shootings.
"I also had an accident in western Jamaica and I was amazed by the number of people who assisted me when the accident occurred and later with their prayers. I have never felt hostility towards us. When Jamaicans realise that we are Cubans they often say "Cuba, Fidel, she said.
Many Jamaicans still maintain contact with Cuba, the land of birth of their fore-parents.
"There is a historical closeness between both countries, Garcia Rivera reflected.
One prominent Jamaican, State minister with responsibility for local government reform, Bobby Montague still maintains his Cuban links.
Montague's grandmother was born in Cuba, which explains the strong literacy programme that he has in the town of Gayle, part of his western St Mary constituency that was started with Cuban help and continues to be supported by their friends from up north.
<span style="font-weight: bold">"Jamaicans fought in our battles and gave our people refugee status when we sought it from them. <span style="font-style: italic">People say that Jamaicans are violent,</span>
but in Cuba we regard Jamaicans as decent, hard-working people," </span>the ambassador said.
Cuba intends to continue its generosity to Jamaica with a state-of-the-art ophthalmology centre in Kingston. The centre is expected to meet the needs of hundreds of Jamaicans who need eye care. "Cuba will be donating equipment to do surgical procedures, like removal of cataracts, so instead of sending Jamaicans to Cuba for surgery, it can be done right here. Every 21 days, a plane goes to Cuba taking people for eye surgery, so this will be reduced.
"We will have specialist nurses and doctors from Cuba working at the centre and we will be training Jamaicans so that the project can be sustained after our people have left. We are in the process of signing the agreement," Garcia Rivera said.
J'cans love Cubans, say diplomat
By HG HELPS Editor-at-Large [email protected]
Sunday, June 14, 2009
THE recent decision of the Organisation of American States (OAS) to end its expulsion of Cuba has vindicated Jamaica's staunch 50-year friendship with its socialist neighbour to the north.
It is a friendship which has survived the divisive Cold War pitting the West against the former Eastern bloc, as well as a local diplomatic tiff resulting in Jamaica severing official ties between the two Caribbean states.
In Honduras, the OAS voted to revoke a 1962 measure expelling Cuba, reversing a landmark of the Cold War in the hemisphere. The United States had won expulsion of Cuba in 1962 as the Castro government veered into the Socialist bloc. But in recent years, every country in the hemisphere, except for the US, has re-established relations with Cuba.
Jamaica's foreign minister, Dr Kenneth Baugh, was among those speaking for countries which showed open glee at the OAS decision for which it had fought long and hard and across political administrations.
"Jamaica and Caricom are delighted to have been part of this historic decision that rescinded Resolution 6 which suspended Cuba's participation in the Inter-American system," he said after the vote in San Pedro Sula.
"It is a victory for the pluralistic, democratic leadership of the member states of the OAS." Baugh gloated. "It augurs well for the continuation of the very commendable effort already undertaken by the USA and Cuba for the normalisation of bilateral relations and eventually for the lifting of the embargo," Dr Baugh added.
Cuba was catapulted to the centre of world history when Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz and his group of revolutionaries took control of the island in January 1959, toppling General Fulgencio Batista, a right-wing leader whom critics felt was allowing the island to look too much like another state of the United States.
Castro, an atheist who demonstrated his rebel traits from age 13 when he instigated a strike among workers on his father's plantation, ruled supreme until 2007, when poor health forced him to vacate the office of president, paving the way for his younger brother Raul to take charge.
Fidel, who survived several assassination attempts, some allegedly traced back to the United States, formed alliances and maintained friendships with administrations that were tolerant of his socialist state.
Jamaica's own involvement with Cuba took a negative turn during the 1960s when the conservative Jamaica Labour Party, whose leaders during the period - Sir Alexander Bustamante, Sir Donald Sangster and Hugh Shearer - all shared an anti-socialist philosophy, came to power.
But a dramatic ideological shift in 1972, saw the emergence of the Michael Manley-led People's National Party (PNP) with its Democratic Socialist philosophy, that brought with it a change in the relationship between the two countries.
There was a flood of activity on both sides of the fence, with Jamaica benefiting from an outpouring of generosity from its Spanish-speaking neighbour, including training in the fields of medicine, construction, engineering and agriculture, among others. The Cubans also built micro dams across the island, primarily to assist farmers with their crops in time of drought. The dams are all now out of use.
Two technical high schools, Garvey Maceo in Clarendon and Jose Marti in St Catherine, along with one tertiary institution, the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport at Angels, also in St Catherine, were among the structures put up by Cuban labour.
The symbols of education and further training still take pride of place on Cuba's local diplomatic mission's 'keep in touch' list. And based on the upbeat attitude of Cuba's senior envoy here, the relationship between the embassy and the schools seem better than the condition of most marriages.
"We maintain contact with the schools and we always invite them to our activities," Cuba's ambassador to Jamaica, Gisela Garcia Rivera told the Sunday Observer in an interview. "We always try to have students from Jose Marti and Garvey Maceo in our scholarship programmes."
Garcia Rivera was referring to the vibrant scholarship activity, part of the wider education assistance initiative which is also one of several co-operation projects between Jamaica and Cuba. The list also includes medicine, agriculture, fisheries, engineering, energy, transport and works, the eye care programme, sport, and telecommunications.
"There are lots of things that we would like to assist Jamaica with, but we are not able to do so now, like the restoration of some heritage sites," Garcia Rivera said.
Relations between the two friends would freeze again in 1980, arising out of the bloody general election that cost Jamaica over 800 lives. The then Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica Ulysses Estrada came under fire from the Opposition JLP which accused the diplomat of direct interference in Jamaica's internal affairs by publicly criticising the Edward Seaga-led JLP.
Estrada was swiftly expelled from Jamaica by new Prime Minister Seaga.
Diplomatic ties were severed, but promptly restored upon the PNP's return to power after the 1989 general election. Since then, there has been no semblance of the 1980 firestorm.
"Jamaicans love Cubans," said Garcia Rivera. "I have never seen or felt any hostility here. We have a lot of history of situations where Cubans were in danger and when ordinary Jamaican citizens realised that they were Cubans they assisted them. I am talking about situations involving shootings.
"I also had an accident in western Jamaica and I was amazed by the number of people who assisted me when the accident occurred and later with their prayers. I have never felt hostility towards us. When Jamaicans realise that we are Cubans they often say "Cuba, Fidel, she said.
Many Jamaicans still maintain contact with Cuba, the land of birth of their fore-parents.
"There is a historical closeness between both countries, Garcia Rivera reflected.
One prominent Jamaican, State minister with responsibility for local government reform, Bobby Montague still maintains his Cuban links.
Montague's grandmother was born in Cuba, which explains the strong literacy programme that he has in the town of Gayle, part of his western St Mary constituency that was started with Cuban help and continues to be supported by their friends from up north.
<span style="font-weight: bold">"Jamaicans fought in our battles and gave our people refugee status when we sought it from them. <span style="font-style: italic">People say that Jamaicans are violent,</span>
but in Cuba we regard Jamaicans as decent, hard-working people," </span>the ambassador said.Cuba intends to continue its generosity to Jamaica with a state-of-the-art ophthalmology centre in Kingston. The centre is expected to meet the needs of hundreds of Jamaicans who need eye care. "Cuba will be donating equipment to do surgical procedures, like removal of cataracts, so instead of sending Jamaicans to Cuba for surgery, it can be done right here. Every 21 days, a plane goes to Cuba taking people for eye surgery, so this will be reduced.
"We will have specialist nurses and doctors from Cuba working at the centre and we will be training Jamaicans so that the project can be sustained after our people have left. We are in the process of signing the agreement," Garcia Rivera said.
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