Manifesting our gratitude to Cuba in a tangible manner

I write to congratulate the President on his wholehearted acknowledgement of Cuba’s meaningful contribution to our nation’s medical services over the years. He was speaking recently on the West Coast. I am certain his opinion is shared by my (former) colleagues at Congress Place who collaborated with Cuban counterparts in various co-operative endeavours.

President Ali’s presentation reminded me of being in Cuba on the return of the bodies of their civilians martyred by American troops in 1983, while engaged in the construction of the new airport in Grenada.

The President’s gracious comments also stirred memories of my participation in the fateful decision which saw the Cuban planes carrying troops to Angola, refuelling at Timehri. Without this facility, the liberation of Angola and southern Africa would have been a much more bloody, and protracted, enterprise.

(It is unconscionable that the sacrifice of so many in Angola, Cuba, Guyana and beyond was appropriated by the likes of Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of President dos Santos, to indecently become the world’s second richest Black woman, while her country remains mired in poverty).

In this same presentation the President highlighted the billions of dollars which would be allocated to our fledgling healthcare system - happily, funding is no longer a constraint!

Guyanese, and our regional compatriots, are increasingly hobbled by the scourge of non- communicable diseases - chiefly hypertension and diabetes. Our magnificent petrochemical patrimony will mean little if our people’s well-being is curtailed by these and similar afflictions.

Thus, I urge the President and his Cabinet to engage CARICOM, the Indian Health experts and Cuban authorities in a cooperative endeavour from which the entire region could significantly, and sustainably, benefit.

Aligning Cuba’s world class research capacities and India’s manufacturing prowess, with our financial resources can produce a medically and commercially profitable enterprise, and stimulate a local pharmaceuticals industry.

In doing this we will be manifesting our gratitude in a tangible manner, while looking forward to a more healthful and progressive region.

Mr. President, your generous acknowledgement of Cuba’s widow’s mite can be made a concrete legacy by reigniting our leaders’ historic vision to free, and now developing Guyana, and peoples of the world!

With regards,

Malcolm Parris, CCH

Former General Secretary of the People’s National Congress