(OECS Communications)- The Commission of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States paid tribute to the outgoing Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba accredited to Saint Lucia and the OECS, H. E. Alejandro Simancas Marin, with a virtual ceremony held in honour of his service to the region.
Ambassador Marin, who presented his diplomatic credentials to the OECS Commission in March 2019, will demit office in Saint Lucia after two years of advancing mutual interests in the Eastern Caribbean.
Director General of the OECS, Dr. Didacus Jules, said Ambassador Marin’s tenure was one defined by immeasurable service to OECS Member States principally during the unprecedented health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a heartfelt tribute to the Ambassador and the government and people of Cuba, Dr. Jules revisited the history of brotherhood between the nations of the Caribbean basin and renewed calls on the United States administration to end the unfair treatment towards Cuba.
“Between Cuba and the Caribbean, and with us in the OECS, the bond is unshakeable. Your Patria, Cuba, has faithfully followed the dictum of Jose Marti that “it is necessary to make virtue fashionable”. It has unhesitatingly and consistently given to the Caribbean and to every corner of the world where the sick need to be attended to; where the darkness of illiteracy needs to banished; where oppression needs to be defeated.
The presence of Cuba in the OECS is not simply a diplomatic presence. Cuba is present in the hearts of our people because so many of our youth have attained university education, so many of our blind have had their sight restored, so many more see in Cuba a sister whose love is unconditional.
That is why our solidarity with Cuba is non-negotiable and that is why we call on President Biden as he seeks to restore civility and international credibility to the United States of America, to end the punitive blockade of Cuba and remove Cuba from the infamous list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
It was President Obama in the Obama-Biden administration who famously said “you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist”. President Biden please take your knee off the throat of Cuba, open the fist, shake hands with our sister Cuba and let us restore respect, dialogue and good relations in the entire hemispheric family.”
The celebratory virtual ceremony was well attended by dignitaries from the OECS Member States and provided an opportunity for regional leaders to express gratitude to the government and people of Cuba for their unwavering support, and to thank Ambassador Marin for his personal efforts to strengthen brotherly bonds and deepen the longstanding love between the nations.
His Excellency Alejandro Simancas Marin sincerely acknowledged and thanked the OECS Commission and its Member States for the steady support provided during his tenure.
“Brothers and sisters, it is really a great honour for us to share this moment with you. Farewells are always part of the diplomatic dynamic but, in this case, it is really an emotional moment for us. It has been a little more than two years of intense work together, which has allowed us to humbly contribute to our bilateral relationship, something that really fills us with satisfaction and pride.”
The Ambassador also conveyed, on behalf of his government and people, deep appreciation for the OECS’ position of solidarity with the Republic of Cuba through official statements of support, and the positions of solidarity of the OECS Member States, against the infamous United States blockade and against the aggressive escalation of the Donald Trump administration.
He noted that, in this latest period, the COVID-19 pandemic imposed many additional challenges, however, Cuba and the OECS have, once again, given a great example of cooperation in an area as fundamental as health.
“At the call of the OECS and its Member States, Cuba quickly organised the Henry Reeve Emergency Medical Brigades, which in a short period of time came to join the fight against the pandemic. Today, we can say with some pride and with some satisfaction that these brigades have been present in all the independent member countries of the OECS and also in the territories of Martinique, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, and Montserrat.”
Ambassador Marin highlighted the fundamental role that the historical leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, played in establishing the principles of friendship, solidarity and cooperation which have guided Cuba’s relationship with the Caribbean. He reaffirmed Cuba’s willingness to continue strengthening the relationship with the OECS and its Member States in areas of health, education, construction, infrastructure, disaster resilience, sports, and the continued exploration of greater opportunities particularly in the areas of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology products.
