CATEGORY: ECONOMIC NEWS
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By Trevor Thwaites (St.George's correspondent)

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada: The United States Blockade of the Republic of Cuba is said to have cost the Spanish-speaking Republic some US$80, 000 million, 47 years after the Blockade was imposed in 1947. The revelation has come from Regional Coordinator of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples Jenny Regueiferos. “It is not an Embargo. It is a Blockade that is costing us US$18 million a year and over US80, 000 million, the Cuban official told the local media during a press conference in St George’s last Friday.

She said that the Blockade is greatly affecting her people, who have been forced to pay twice the cost for goods and services from third countries and parties. Ms Regueiferos vowed that her country will go on fighting to make life better for its people and friends around the world, despite the challenges caused by the blockade. The Cuban official said that trade is a problem, with the Americans also threatening to impose sanctions on countries that trade with Cuba.

She said that the country’s growth and development has also been restricted to an extent with access to the internet very limited. Ms Regueiferos admitted that her country has been faced with economic difficulties over the years, which they are working to overcome. “The last year was encouraging. Our economy grew by 11.8% after contracting by 70% back in the 1990’s,” the Cuban official pointed out. She said that Cuba is not a rich country with plenty of economic resources, but has a special resource – its people.

“We want to continue the economic growth and development and continue to help our friends in Grenada and around the world. We have 300 doctors in Pakistan and many more in other countries.” The Cuban Official has taken issue with the United States government, which she said have been over the years, waging a war of propaganda against the Cuban people. “Our image is completely distorted. We have been accused of being communist and dictatorship. Violation of human rights is said to be going in Cuba. That’s not true.”

“We have set high professional and educational standards,” she disclosed.
Ms Regueiferos was making her first trip to Grenada and the Caribbean for the Cuba/Grenada Friendship Solidarity meetings, which also took her to Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. The meeting last Saturday at Wesley House in the city was the first in six years here. Many of the local graduates who studied in Cuba voiced their support for Republic and for the lifting of the blockade by the United States. While here Ms Regueiferos also meet with political parties, the ministry of education, the TUC, GNOW and other groups and individuals.

The Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People’s has vowed to continue the struggle in the fight to have the US Blockade removed. Since its inception in 1966, there has been the formation of 2,000 Friendship Associations around the world. There are 15 in the Caribbean – six in Jamaica, four in Trinidad and Tobago, one each in Suriname, Guyana and Barbados and two in Grenada. One is called the Grenada/Cuba Friendship Association and the other The Cuba Institute of Friendship with the people.