Today, November 26, 2016, we woke to the news of the passing of the Commander of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz.
In this moment we remember the life of Prime Ministers Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles who were leaders of Dominica’s independence movement which had the support of the Cuban Revolution- especially in education. We honor the decision of the United Workers Party in this moment for formalizing relations with Cuba during its term in office.
This tribute is also in memory of the Jamaican Vice President of the West Indian Student Union of 1945 London, Flight Lieutenant Dudley “Burning Spear” Thompson of Royal Air Force Bomber Command who told us the inside story of Fidel Castro’s audacity in executing Operation Black Carlota, the successful Cuban led battle to halt the Apatheid South African invasion of Angola in 1975.
In this moment we remember Fidel’s incomparable contribution to the university level education of Dominicans and others in the developing world, to include the less fortunate students from the United States who study in that country as a result of Cuban aid following Hurricane Katherina and its devastation of New Orleans. Be it hurricane/disaster relief, medical aid to developing countries, educational opportunity, or the efforts to eradicate the dreaded ebola virus, our Cuban brothers and sisters were always in the front line to give a helping hand. May God bless those who so nobly served.
We salute the brave leaders of our Caribbean such as Jamaica’s Michael Manley, Trinidad & Tobago’s Dr. Eric Williams, Barbados’ Errol Barrow and Guyana’s Forbes Burnham who were the first in the Caribbean to break the unjust blockade of Cuba and who aided that daring mission by Cuba to assist Africa’s liberation. A most honorable salute to all our Cuban brothers and sisters who gave their life in that mission. In their memory we say: long live Dominica Cuba Friendship!
A warm embrace to the cadres of Dominica’s Popular Independence Committee (Est. 1976), the Dominica Cuba Friendship Society (Est. 1976) and those of my generation who were in the national liberation movement. May we always maintain the cause for a better country, world where all humanity can live in peace with justice.
In this moment we struggle against backwardness, and uphold the principle of integrity driven and unselfish commitment to the cause of national development in which all our people can sit at the table of a better dispensation – not some. We strongly condemn, the forces of racism, sexism, religious intolerance, class prejudice, fascism and reaction which rear their ugly heads in the world today and seek to plunge the world into a new and bitter conflict.
Finally we render a worthy salute to President Obama who acted with honor and distinction in restoring friendly relations with Cuba. We honor all our leaders who have pursued such a path of friendship.
Today, and always, we consider our fraternal relations with the Cuban people worthy.
May the soul of Fidel Castro rest in peace!
Hasta la Victoria Siempre!
When I did small they did say, “Once a man, twice a chile.” What you have to, or must do, do quickly! Cause soon you’ll be outta here; never to return.
Well, the contributors above are all distorting history in no small way. Imagine Rosie being still at SMA in 1963. History records that he was in Canada at the time.
And as for the facts of the Cuban Revolution under Dr. Castro,, there are pros and cons, pluses and minuses. Each person judges it according to his/her own ideology. Some say it was a great success. Others, a great setback.
\”………We strongly condemn, the forces of racism, sexism, religious intolerance, class prejudice, fascism and reaction ………\”
I concur with this statement from you, well said, and well put together the general theme.
Please advised that In Cuba religious intolerance, fear of influence was a policy of the Castro government.
The wrath of corrupt governments will come to an end as some leaders feel they will last forever. Legacy will see. Raul will exit in 4 years time and Cuba will move on to a full democracy and it MUST be determined by them not by Putings, Trumps or leaders themselves who are friends but are corrupt and power hungry. The likes of the Skerrit\’s, Gairy, Mugabe, etc., please stay away from them, they have nothing philosophical to teach or help Cuba of tomorrow.
Dominica is witnessing this corrupt charade and the tomorrows is here killing us
Good luck Cuba. God Bless you as you move on….and thank you for taking care and educating our many brothers…
Is a communist dictatorship a freedom ?
A great leader would set the Cubans free,instead he murdered his opponents, cast them in prison,confiscated their property and kept the rest in poverty.
Good riddance.
“We salute the brave leaders of our Caribbean such as Jamaica’s Michael Manley, Trinidad & Tobago’s Dr. Eric Williams, Barbados’ Errol Barrow and Guyana’s Forbes Burnham who were the first in the Caribbean to break the unjust blockade of Cuba and who aided that daring mission by Cuba to assist Africa’s liberation. A most honorable salute to all our Cuban brothers and sisters who gave their life in that mission. In their memory we say: long live Dominica Cuba Friendship!”
Now if it’s a matter of giving credit to the people who’s names you biasly mentioned do so; however, don’t do it simply because you all wish to make a hero our of a murderer. Fidel Castro was no hero!
And the Blockade which was imposed on the Soviet Union battle ships heading to Cuba loaded with missiles some already installed in Cuba pointed at the United States. If the late President Kennedy did not act decisively and stop them the ships loaded with their weapons of death all of you lying here to…
Finally
If the late President John F. Kennedy did not act decisively and stop the Russians and the ships loaded with their weapons of death all of you lying here to day would be a slave to communism the same as the Cuban people to this very day under Castro!
I was about thirteen years old when it all happened, I remember, because we feared there would be a full scale war in the Caribbean, even the United States Military stationed on the island of Antigua was on a ready; ready to go to war. Dominicans simply like to lie to be involved in things that do not concern us!
I was alive, and still alive, and I say, 99.999% of what is written in this article are all lies, and DNO no point of suppressing this because I told the truth!
“In this moment we remember the life of Prime Ministers Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles who were leaders of Dominica’s independence movement which had the support of the Cuban Revolution- especially in education. We honor the decision of the United Workers Party in this moment for formalizing relations with Cuba during its term in office.”
You know if I was not alive when Britain forced all of the islands in the eastern Caribbean into Statehood, where they were given five years to take care of their internal affairs, while Britain retained responsibility for their external affairs, and made it mandatory, after the five years, whether or not the powers that be wanted independence, England, the colonial masters would sever all ties with island.
Dominica was forced into Independence, and I am sure Patrick John will substantiate that! This thing about Rosie and Charles is a lie! In 1963/64 Rosie Douglas was still at SMA, I saw him there! Tell the truth!
Continue:
There was no Dominica independent movement, how could there be when the British Government also told Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago Guyana and Barbados they were on their own also. First the influence the islands of the Caribbean to form a West Indian Federation, which they did.
It did not last very long: count the islandsyou will find there were ten islands in the Federation, Trinidad then became the Capital of the Caribbean of the Islands. Jamaica f was the island which became disgruntled, and so Dr. Erick Williams one day went on Radio, and gave us this self developed mathematical formula ” ten (10-10=0) minus one equal zero,” hence the Federation crumbled and dissolved!
Indeed Charles and Roosevelt Douglas try to introduce communism in Dominica, but that had nothing absolutely nothing to do with fight for independence. The youth of the country will believe that lie, an people should be ashamed to lie that simple!
Let me correct this: Erick Williams stated “10-1 = 0 ( ten minus one =0), thus came to an end of the West Indies Federation. There was also West Indian island arm stained in Trinidad, made up of soldiers from Jamaica in the North to Guyana in the South!
Somebody may not be simply lying; for the sack of lying, but the is they simply do not remember, have no records of the facts, and how all of the islands became independent. If they do some research starting with the West Indian Federation, to Statehood, and then the forced Independence, they retract some of what is written in this article.
The bottom line is there was absolutely no fight or conflict between Great Britain, and any of the colonies of the Caribbean which lead to any of the islands becoming independent. The truth of the matter is the British set us, they however, held on to the island of Montserrat , and Tortolla, for this simply reason: the claim their population was too small and could not sustain independents