- Jeffrey hails Fidel Castro as ‘perennial’ champion of the Caribbean
By Neil Marks
MINISTER of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Dr Henry Jeffrey, yesterday said Guyana looks to cooperation “flowing more abundantly” under Cuba’s new leader Raul Castro, who Sunday became the communist island’s first new leader in almost half a century.
Dr Jeffery hailed Fidel Castro, who stepped down as leader of Cuba due to poor health as a “perennial” champion of the Caribbean and wished him “good health”.

Dr Jeffery said too that Cuba can continue to count on the support of Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean against the economic sanctions imposed by the United States.

He was speaking at the opening session of the 34th meeting of the Guyana-Cuba Joint Commission at his Ministry in Georgetown, which met to decide on the 2008/2009 programme for bilateral cooperation.

Cuba’s cooperation to Guyana under Fidel has been characterised by strong support in the medical and educational fields; over 1, 000 Guyanese students are currently studying in Cuba and more than 100 Cuban doctors are currently serving at Guyana’s main hospital in Georgetown and other health care institutions countrywide.

Jeffrey said the new Castro at the helm of Cuba is known for his “legendary calm” and it was within this context that he expressed the hope for deepened cooperation.

Minister Jeffery spoke in the presence of Cuba’s Vice Minister of Foreign Investment and Collaboration Mr. Orlanda Requeijo Gual, who trumped up Cuba’s assistance to Guyana, pointing to the opening Friday of the Leonora diagnostic centre, one of four such centres built due to Cuban aid. The centres are fitted with equipment bought at a reduced cost from Cuba and are being staffed by Cuban doctors.

Cuba’s help to Guyana expanded in February, 2006, when President Bharrat Jagdeo secured Fidel’s help to build a state-of-the-art ophthalmology centre in Berbice and staff and equip it.

In addition, the then Cuban leader also agreed to open up 965 more scholarships to particularly young Guyanese.

During the latter half of 2005, hundreds of Guyanese needing eye surgeries started travelling to Havana through the free Cuban programme “Miracle Mission.”

Jeffery yesterday said the areas of cooperation for the 2008/2009 programme would continue to see heavy focus on medical cooperation, followed by education, trade, cultural exchange and sports, maritime cooperation, and energy.
Guyana and Cuba established diplomatic relations on December 8, 1972.