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| Sunday, 8 January 2006 |
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Politics |  |
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'Imperialism
could never defeat Cuba' - Minister DEW
by M.P. Muttiah Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera speaking at the commemorative meeting to celebrate the National Day of Cuba held at the Russian Cultural Centre on January 5, said that neo-liberalism destroyed everything where there was socialism and it now destroys where there was capitalism. Imperialism expected Cuba to fall each year from the days of the Revolution, but each year it moved forward despite setbacks, intrigues, invasion, blockade and attempts on the life of Cuban leaders. Gunasekera said that the imperialists expected Cuba to fall after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall. On the contrary, Cuba survived, defended, developed and moved with added strength. Cuba which is under the blockade of the United States for the past 47 years, had to face many challenges with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Cuba's trade fell to 6 percent and was in isolation. During the past 15 years, Cubans had not only survived, but also made giant strides in economic and social development and demonstrated to the entire world community through their new economic strategy. For example, Cuba with a population of 11 million has 71 thousand medical personnel. He said that Cuban communists had to seek alternative policies and a principled position, that is not be dogmatic but be creative and realistic. They also drew necessary lessons from the successes of the Chinese economy which had secured through the concept of planning-cum-market, necessary at this stage of world development. Gunasekera said that Cuba was providing medical personnel to Latin American and African countries. During the recent earthquake in Pakistan it had sent 800 medical personnel to Islamabad. He said Sri Lanka was one of the first to recognise the Cuban Revolution. In recognising the solidarity of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike's government, Cuba sent Che Cuvera to Sri Lanka to open its diplomatic mission in Colombo. 'Cuba, as other Latin American countries, had faced the disastrous consequences of neo-liberal policies that is called the Washington Consensus. Cuba leads the struggle of the Latin American countries against the Washington Consensus. Neo-liberalism was first experimented in Latin America. During the past 30 years the growth rates of these countries had slowed down drastically. That is the reason, the people of those countries, by electing Executive Presidents and parliaments through democratic means, reacted to the neo-liberal policies. In the past 10 years 7 Left or pro-Left governments had emerged in Latin America. From 1995, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Ecuador and the latest is Bolivia, where the world's first indigenous President had been elected. Many more countries are to turn to the Left and Cuba is not alone in Latin America today," Gunasekera said. Sri Lanka-Cuba Friendship Society's President Parliamentarian Amarasiri Dondangoda presided over the meeting at which the Cuban Ambassador Madam Enna Viant was the guest of honour. |
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