Saint Lucia’s more-than-four-decades-long friendship with Cuba was again celebrated last weekend, when the island’s association coordinating people-to-people friendship hosted two members of their counterpart Cuban entity.
The Saint Lucia-Cuba Humanistic Solidarity Association (HSA) hosted a welcome reception last weekend for Lilia Zamora and Tamara Alcee, two representatives of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the People (ICAP).
The reception, held at the Finance Administrative Building in Castries last Saturday evening, was attended by Speaker of the House of Assembly Claudius Francis and the Ambassadors of Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela, among others.
It also featured presentation of certificates, one to HSA President Marlene Alexander and one each to several Cuban nurses and medical aides returning home after serving here for between three to five years.
President Alexander was honored by ICAP for her and the HSA’s commitment to strengthening and deepening of friendship between the peoples of the two countries; and the returning Cubans were thanked for their selfless services to Saint Lucia, during and after the worst aspects of the COVID Pandemic.
The event traced the long history of the latest ties between the two peoples, starting with participation by a Saint Lucia delegation in the XI World Festival of Youth and Students in Havana (July 26 to August 5, 1978) and continuing through over four decades that have seen hundreds of Saint Lucian students graduate from free scholarships in Cuba and thousands of citizens benefit from free medical and optical care in Cuba and Saint Lucia.
The meeting also noted that ties between Cuba have been maintained with equal respect by all governments since they established ties on August 23, 1979 – exactly six months after Saint Lucia became independent.
Cuban Ambassador Bernardo Toscano Sardinas thanked the HSA for its continuing commitment to ties between the two countries and people and reiterated Havana’s ongoing friendship, cooperation and assistance to and with Saint Lucia, through education and health opportunities and other bilateral and multilateral means.
Brazil’s Ambassador Anuar Nahes, Mecican Ambassador Luis Manuel Lopez Moreno and Venezuelan Ambassador Lieff Escalona also graced the proceedings with their presence.
Two founding members of the original Saint Lucia-Cuba Friendship Association (SLCFA) President and Vice President Lawrence Poyotte and Earl Bousquet, respectively, as well as other members (including doctors and other professionals who studied in Cuba), were present.
HSA’s 1st Vice President Nicholas Jn Baptiste and former president Rawle Harvey also addressed the session and veteran singer Patsy Cadet (who had medical attention in Cuba) sang two popular renditions.
Several courtesy calls and visits to government officials took place during the brief visit, including to: former Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy, former Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, Minister of Education Shawn Edwards and Minister of Health Moses Jn. Baptiste.
Last Sunday also featured a visit to the south of the island to the Saint Lucia Distillers and the Sulphur Springs, as well as a meeting with the Cubans assisting in Soufriere.
The visit concluded with a meeting and farewell dinner with the delegates and Cuban officials hosted by the HSA President on April 2.
The delegation, which arrived here Friday March 31, left on Monday April 3 for Antigua & Barbuda.