Kingston, Jamaica, 26 October 2020. Dr. Peter Phillips, President of the People's National Party (PNP) and Leader of the Opposition in Jamaica, expressed solidarity with Cuba during his recent farewell speech to the party’s National Executive Council.
In highlighting the traditional position of the PNP in defense of the sovereign equality of nations and peoples’ right to self-determination, he expressed: “We stood up for Cuba in the 1970s not because we were supporters of Cuban communism and the way they organised themselves, but because we believed in the right of the Cuban people to determine their own future. They are currently under attack and we must remember who we are and maintain our proud tradition of standing up for justice and principle, on behalf of all people. Taking a stand doesn’t come without cost. Neither did our fight for freedom from plantation slavery. It is our willingness to pay the price for what we value that determines the quality of our character and defines the movement that we all lead.”.
Over the years, the PNP has maintained a firm stance in defense of the Cuban people's right to self-determination, has promoted the strengthening of bilateral relations between Cuba and Jamaica and has condemned the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against our country.