The Minister of Culture and Sports, John King, presided along with the deputy minister Deborah Payne, a very special act of remembrance and tribute to the victims of the sabotage against the Cubana airplane that took place in October 1976 on the coasts off Barbados, accompanied by civil aviation authorities at the time and the board of the Museum and Historical Society of Barbados. The Minister highlighted the cruelty of that terrorism act and its anti-human dimension, which served to unite our governments and peoples, because the generous solidarity of the Cuban people with the Caribbean was rewarded at that time with the strong reaction of the region in defense of our dignity.
The then Director of Civil Aviation of Barbados, Clyde Outram, delivered a bottle of Havana Club, as a museum object, which he received as a gift from the manager of the Cubana de Aviación office in Bridgetown, Manuel Rodríguez Font, who also lost his life as a passenger on the sabotaged aircraft. Mr. Outram said he had kept the bottle for more than 40 years as a symbol of the great friendship cultivated between the two peoples, therefore he thought it should be preserved for history. The then air traffic controller, Pat Callender, author of the book "Flight - Paths & Missing Connection @ Barbados" which recounts the facts of the fateful attack, said in his presentation that he is proud of the rapid decisions made by the highest authorities of his country to contribute to the clarification of the facts and the arrest of the two perpetrators of the attack, and that on a day like today that pride grew with the modest but sincere tribute paid to the victims.
The Cuban ambassador, Francisco Fernández, thanked the Minister for his significant words and the friendly gesture of Mr. Outram, for showing signs of respect for the memory of our peoples, which is also a way to cultivate culture and identity as independent nations, including the common struggle against all forms of terrorism. He also stressed that the human disaster of that October 6, 1976 must be remembered in its double meaning: first, because it demonstrated the imperial cruelty by using a civil aircraft as a tool of war, extending state terrorism to the Caribbean region showing that all our peoples were exposed to that infamous policy.
And secondly, because it united our independent nations since Cuba immediately felt the support of all kinds, which will never be forgotten as it was recognized by the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Commander Fidel Castro Ruz, in his speech at the Monument to the Emancipation, on August 1, 1998: "The blood of the fallen as a consequence of that crime forever sealed the friendship and solidarity of the Cuban people with the people of Barbados. Cuba will always be faithful to that friendship and solidarity".