47th anniversary of Cuba and CARICOM relations celebrated in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 10 (acn) Representatives of Cuba and the member states of the Caribbean Community celebrated the CARICOM-Cuba Day, on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties of that region with the largest island of the Antilles.

Salvador Valdes Mesa, Cuba´s 1st VP, presided over the act held at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, where Philip St. Hill, Barbados´ Chargé d'Affaires in Cuba, recalled the decision of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica to establish relations with Havana in 1972 and break the isolation that the United States sought to impose, according to Cubaminrex website.
Likewise, he thanked on behalf of the independent nations of the Caribbean, grouped in CARICOM, the permanent support provided by Cuba, especially in the areas of health, education, agriculture, sports, and in dealing with natural disasters.
On the Cuban side, Ana Teresita Gonzalez, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, ratified the solidarity commitment with her neighbors, and affirmed that these ties will continue to be a priority of the Revolution's foreign policy.
The event was attended by representatives of the Cuban Party and Government, members of the Caribbean and Latin American diplomatic corps accredited in Cuba, and a representation of students from that region studying in Cuba.
CARICOM is made up by 15 nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
It also has associate members: Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands.