The Editor: Trinidad and Tobago voted against the United Nations resolution calling for a removal of the US economic embargo against Cuba.
This happened after T&T had, initially, signalled its intention to vote in favour of the resolution.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stated that: “The Government of Trinidad and Tobago stands for democracy, freedom, human dignity and the right of every citizen, including the people of Cuba, to freely determine their political future”.
What a wonderful statement. It is not grounded in reality.
Many countries, including Trinidad and Tobago were, allegedly, bullied by the USA to vote against, or abstain from voting on the resolution. This bullying may have included the threat of additional tariffs.
Mrs. Persad- Bissessar conveniently omitted substantial historical facts, which show that the so-called bastion of democracy – the United States of America (USA) – has overthrown, and assassinated, the leaders of many democratically elected governments.
Did the citizens of those countries “freely determine their political future”, after their democratically elected governments were overthrown by the USA?
Patrice Lumumba from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dr. Cheddi Jagan from what was then British Guiana and Mohammad Mossadegh from Iran, easily come to mind.
Where is the democracy in that Mrs. Persad-Bissessar?
Trinidad and Tobago has had diplomatic relations with China for over 50 years. China is a one party state and is the largest communist country on the planet. Its citizens do not have a choice when voting in elections.
Yet, the prime minister is silent about what happens in China.
For all its rhetoric, the US government is very “palsy-walsy” with China. After all, money talks.
US President Donald Trump has substantial business interests with China. Much of the branded clothing he sells is made in China. The Trump organisation has borrowed money from the Bank of China. Yet, all we hear is silence.
The people of Cuba are suffering terribly from this embargo, which has been in place since 1960.
The irony is that, except for the Bay of Pigs fiasco in 1961 and a partial deployment of Operation Mongoose in 1962, the US has not made any real effort to overthrow the Cuban government, even though they have a military base on the island.
This base is because of a perpetual lease agreement, signed in 1903, which allowed the USA access to 45 square miles (116.5 sq. kilometres) of Cuba’s land and water.
Instead of removing the embargo, the US government prefers to see the Cuban people suffer.
If there is no embargo on China, there should be none on Cuba.
Linus F. Didier,
Mt. Hope
