Wellington, December 9th 2015. – During a visit to this institution by Ambassador of Cuba, Mr. Mario Alzugaray, Executive Assistant at the Office of Deputy Vicechancellor, Mr. Kerri Kilner, expressed his interest in the promotion of linkages and cooperation exchanges with Cuban counterparts, especially in the development of joint research projects in areas of common attention.
The Hon. Maxine McClean, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, opened the celebration activities of both dates with Cuban Ambassador, Francisco Fernandez, which consisted of a panel discussion that addressed the historical and current context from many angles, followed by a cocktail party attended by Barbadian government officials, representatives of the business sector and civil society organizations, community of Cuban residents, members of the diplomatic corps and UN agencies and CARICOM resident in Barbados.
In the panel discussion that was the focus of the activity organized by the Embassy of Cuba in Barbados to pay tribute to the 43 Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Barbados as well as the historical ties between Cuba and CARICOM, eminent guest speakers, Sir Shridath Ramphal, Dr. Tennyson Joseph and Ambassador Robert Morris, focused these fruitful relationships from different angles. Preceded by speeches of the Barbadian Foreign Minister, Hon.
Barbadians newspapers highlighted the greeting stretching from Georgetown Prime Minister of his country, Freundel Stuart, in his capacity as President Pro Tempore of CARICOM to celebrate on December 8 as the day that marks the links between the Caribbean Community and Cuba, since bilaterally it established in 2002 in Havana the First Summit of Heads of State and Government.
Ambassador Gail Mathurin, Director General Office of Trade Negotiations of CARICOM, resident in Barbados, gave an interview courtesy the Cuban Ambassador, Francisco Fernandez, serving to exchange on the good state of bilateral relations of the island with the Community. They reviewed the existing Agreement on Trade and Cooperation, which was updated in recent months allowing free access to the Cuban market of 297 products, from the request of member countries of the block.