Kingston, Jamaica, 7 October 2019. With the excellent news of the formal registration of the ‘Antonio Maceo Grajales’ Association of Cubans Resident in Jamaica (ACRJ) in the Registry of Jamaican Associations, began the 11th National Conference of Cuban residents in this country.
More than fifty Cubans from different parishes in the country gathered on Sunday afternoon on the top floor of the clinic owned by Dr. Brooks, a renowned Jamaican doctor graduated in Cuba and a friend of the Cuban people. The event, organized by the ACRJ, was attended by the Cuban Ambassador, Mrs. Inés Fors Fernández and the Embassy’s consul Mr. Ulises Calvo Borges; professor Trevor Brown, President of ;the Jamaica-Cuba Friendship Association, and Mrs. Luz Amparo Escobar, President of the Association of Colombian Residents, among other guests.
The first moment – an unavoidable commitment - was a reminder of the victims of the Barbados Crime, a brutal terrorist attack that occurred exactly 43 years ago. The touching homage was a token of our people's respect for their history and their martyrs. A statement condemning the blockade and the US aggressions against Cuba was also read.
The ACRJ Board of Directors reported on its actions during the year and, together with those present, outlined the plan of activities for the forthcoming period. Attendees recognized the growing prestige of the Association as a representative and defender of the interests of the Cuban community, and made proposals to improve their work.
The Ambassador’s and the Consul’s remarks reaffirmed the will of the Embassy and of the Cuban authorities in general to develop increasingly strong bonds with fellow countrymen residing abroad.
Participants also made proposals for discussion topics to take to the Fourth Regional Conference of Cubans Resident Abroad, to be held in Mexico from October 18 to 20.
And, given that a meeting of Cubans cannot be conceived without a stroke of national culture, the program included performances by artists Rafael Salazar (clarinettist) and Nileyam Molina (dancer), who captivated the audience and enjoyed a deserved applause from it.