Clement Payne Cultural Centre hosted the political-cultural event that the Movement of Solidarity with Cuba chose to honor the delegation of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) composed by his First Vice President Elio Gamez and the Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Robert Hamilton, becoming a summary of the fruitful visit to Barbados between 26 and 30 May 2016.
The guest speaker reiterated the gratitude on behalf of ICAP and the Cuban people for the solidarity of the Barbadian friends throughout all these years of excellent relations and particularly in this fruitful working visit, during which it became clear that those ties are indestructible. He noted that like Cuba will maintain its international commitment to solidarity, especially with the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, his country still faces difficult challenges in the new international scenario and still needs the militant solidarity, first, to achieve the unconditional lifting of the US blockade and return to Cuban sovereignty of the territory illegally occupied by the Guantanamo Naval Base.
The President of the Friendship Association, David Denny, made a historical tour of the Barbados-Cuba friendship and vowed to continue organizing and disseminating solidarity between our peoples, including Cuba, Venezuela and all progressive processes on the continent which need it. In this context, he reiterated his and other friends´ attendance to VIII Continental Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba to be held in late July in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
In his turn, the President of the Clement Payne Movement, David Comissiong, summarized the extensive program of work accomplished by the Barbadian delegation to May Day celebrations and the International Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba, especially the meeting with Fernando Gonzalez, vice president of ICAP and one of the Cuban Five heroes, whom he invited to visit Barbados in October. Similarly, it announced the different activities that are planned for this commemoration, which this year takes on a special significance to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of Independence of Barbados.
The cultural component was enlivened by a group of Barbadians artists led by Odel "The Legend" and very young talents in the process of their artistic training.