Saint Lucia government delegation completes successful mission to Cuba

Monday, January 11. 2009 – Prime Minister Stephenson King along with a six (6) member delegation returned to the island over the weekend following completion of a successful five (5) day state visit to the Republic of Cuba. The delegation was met at the Jose Marti International Airport by a high level delegation headed by H.E. Senor Rogelio Sierra, Vice Foreign Minister of Cuba. During the visit the Prime Minister and his delegation participated in an intensive programme, which generally covered the areas of education and health. The delegation also attended to matters with implications for agriculture, cultural heritage and tourism.

The highlights of the visit included:

- A meeting with over thirty (30) St. Lucian University Students studying in Havana. This meeting allowed students to address any concerns or problems which they may have had to Government Officials and to engage in discussions on other matters of general interest.

- Meeting with members of the Caribbean Association of Cuba, which comprises descendants of Caribbean migrants who visited Cuba in the 1920’s. The association was established in 1932 and currently includes approximately twenty St. Lucian descendents. Among those being an 84 year old Cuban-St. Lucian, Mr. Danzie who left Saint Lucia at the age of four (4) with his parents. Prime Minister King expressed great interest in the work of the Association and in particular the welfare of the Saint Lucian Descendents and promised to maintain ties and follow their progress.

- Visit to the 103 bed Ophthalmologic Institute – “Ramon Pando Ferrer”. The visit allowed the delegation to view state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at Cuba’s premier Ophthalmologic Institute and to undertake initial discussions related to support assistance with officials at the Hospital.

- Official ceremony at which Prime Minister King laid a wreath at the Monument of one of Cuba’s most revered National Hero, Jose Marti.

- The Official welcome ceremony during which Prime Minister Stephenson King was received by the President of Cuba H.E. Raul Castro.

- Formal talks between the Saint Lucian and Cuban Leaders and Working Meetings between the two delegations. These discussions examined matters of mutual interest and explored areas of possible development assistance. Areas examined included: deepening of educational assistance in areas such as Adult Literacy, Cultural Heritage conservation, etc. provision of health care specialist and interventions in relation to eye care, treatment of foot ulcers, rodent control and mosquito control. Talks were held between the two leaders on issues related to climate change, deepening of the regional integration movement, possibilities for improvement of people to people and trading links between Cuba and Caricom and the matter of transportation between Cuba and the rest of the region.

- Discussions with H.E. Mr. Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, Minister for Foreign Trade and Investment on related matters.

- Visit to the Genetic Engineering and Bio-technology Centre. At this facility discussions were held on possible technical assistance in areas related health, agriculture and rodent/pest control.

- Visit to Nursing School in Jagüey Grande – International School of Nursing for the Caribbean – Mario Raudilio Fleitas Martinez. The delegation met with the population of 173 Saint Lucian students studying at that facility. Students expressed their concerns to the delegation. The concerns in general revolved around status of programme, loan conditions, duration of training and general living conditions. The Prime Minister King gave assurance of follow-up in three main areas:

1. Negotiations of “soft loan” conditions with the SLDB for loans to cover additional period of study to attain Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing.

2. Exploring avenues for transfer of monies to students without being subjected to 20% tax applied by Cuban Government.

3. Approach to Regional Nursing Association for modification on requirements to be fulfilled by student nurses.

- Tour of Tourism town of Varadero and Presentation by the Varadero Tourism Authority.

- The visit came to end with a special reception hosted by H.E. Jovita St. Marthe, Saint Lucian Ambassador to Cuba.

The Saint Lucian delegation was seen off at the Jose Marti International Airport by Cuban Ambassador to Saint Lucia, H.E. Hugo Ruiz Cabrera, Saint Lucian Ambassador to Cuba H.E. Jovita St. Marthe and Cuban Vice Foreign Minister H.E. Senor Rogelio Sierra, among others.

A Press conference has been scheduled for Tuesday, January, 12^th, 2010 to report to the Press and the General Public on the mission to Cuba. Further avenues of information dissemination on the trip will be developed in the coming days and weeks.

[ Home ] [ Up ] [Site Help]

Read our privacy guidelines.