The disciples came up to Jesus and asked him: “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” “The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, and do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.” Some people, sadly, are genuinely ignorant; meaning they lack knowledge or awareness. Others merely pretend to lack knowledge and awareness. There are many among us today who fit into the aware group. This piece is meant for them; those who understand, but refuse to correctly instruct the ignorant and to lighten the burden of the poor.
There was a time in the Caribbean when words from political progressives paid tribute to visionary African leaders who drove out colonialism and supported the Cuban revolution without reservation. In the 1960/70 era Fidel Castro was the talk of a generation of Caribbean thinkers and progressives. These Caribbean bright sparks hailed Fidel Castro as the new light that emerged from the Caribbean darkness to rid the colonized peoples of their respective Fulgencio Batistas. Around the 1960s and 70s, and with the influence of the United Nations, more colonized peoples gained political independence. Many supported Cuba in its path to socialism, and to rid itself of the crude capitalist corruption that had dominated its people.
Throughout the last sixty years or so the Cuban people have withstood the test of the vicious US blockade, even as a majority of UN member states vote each year against that evil blockade. Notwithstanding the harsh economic trials wrought by the blockade, Cuba has progressed and now stands as a beacon of hope for many third world developing countries.
Today, Cuba shares its medical expertise and training with several developing countries. In particular, Cuba has been a great friend to Saint Lucia and the rest of the Caribbean. It provides free medical eye-care to the people of the region. It trains and educates more Caribbean youth than most other countries. Any attack on Cuba which will weaken its assistance to Saint Lucia and the region must therefore be viewed as an attack on the entire region.
For this reason, professionals who have been trained in Cuba and who know better must raise their voices in support of Cuba and against new economic pressures by Washington. Some in US political circles have little use for their president, but support him in pursuit of their own extreme right wing agendas. These racist rogues have reversed the gains of the Obama presidency, punishing their own people in the process. They have squashed the Iran nuclear deal and are planning to attack (and destroy) that country, as they did Iraq and others in the Middle East. They have all but killed the idea of a two-state solution in the Israel/Palestine conflict. They now plan to install their handpicked man as president of Venezuela’s oil reserves.
The impartial observer is aware that Washington has cozied up to Russia, its cold-war enemy, as it distances itself from former friends and allies. Today the world seems more unsafe, in comparison to the rise of Hitler. The calculation is that America can survive and prosper as a white country, perhaps driving the African/American back onto the slave plantation. And who can say for certain that this is not the vision of the right-wing racists that now control politics in Washington?
In the Venezuela situation, it is good to see that CARICOM has at last spoken with one voice on the political crisis in that country. CARICOM leaders need to be strengthened by the Caribbean progressives that have not lost their souls. Speaking as one united voice on the issue of the increasing pressure that the US is applying to that country and on Cuba is a good thing to do. The Cuban people have withstood sixty years of blockade and the challenges that came with this heartless barrier to free trade.
It is therefore time to drop the pretence, stop the internal country political bickering and begin to make our voices known on the global stage. We are painfully aware that the Caribbean is classified as ‘shit-hole’ countries by some in Washington. It is therefore up to the Caribbean to rise up and speak out; to bring attention to the evil which is being planned against the people of this region by powerful forces pretending as allies. Caribbean countries with diplomatic representation in Russia and China must bring the looming danger to the attention of these capitals and see how we might work together to avert the hardships we see coming.
Surely, that blockade of Cuba by the US constitutes a violation of international law and can be considered an act of genocide against the Cuban people. The experienced can see through the flimsy foreign loincloth—a diversionary tactic—formulated against Cuba by Washington.
In ending, I repeat that the Caribbean progressives must raise their voices against the escalation of economic pressure against the people of Cuba. We must stand with the people of Cuba in their hour of trial. Cuba has been a genuine friend. We must stand up and show we appreciate her friendship.
