BY MIGUEL A. UNTORIA—Granma daily staff writer—
Havana. January 2 2006
CUBA and Guyana are strengthening their ties of cooperation, as President Fidel Castro and President Bharrat Jagdeo expressed yesterday, February 1, during official talks at the Palace of the Revolution.
The Cuban president of the Councils of State and Ministers welcomed the head of state of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana at José Martí International Airport. There at the terminal itself, the latter spoke in favor of strengthening bilateral relations and thanked Cuba for its cooperation, particularly in the areas of health and education.
During a brief exchange with the media, Fidel, in his turn, said that beyond protocols, this would be a time of intensive work to the benefit of both peoples.
Afterward, official talks took place at the Palace of the Revolution. On the Cuban side, other participants were José Ramón Balaguer, minister of public health; Ricardo Cabrisas, government minister; Marta Lomas, minister of foreign investment and economic cooperation; Manuel Aguilera, acting foreign minister; and Carlos Valenciaga, member of the Council of State.
President Jagdeo was accompanied by Jennifer R.A. Westford, minister of public services, and Bheri S. Ramsaran, general director of health services, both of them members of the Guyanese Parliament.
The Guyanese delegation has a full work agenda, including visits to various health and sports centers, and will meet with Guyanese students in Havana.
The Guyanese president has visited our country four times. The excellent bilateral relations are also framed in the consensus of positions on Cuba taken by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with its rejection of the blockade standing out in particular.
The cooperation between both countries covers diverse sectors, including public health, agriculture, forestry, construction, scientific research, civil aviation, fishing, foreign trade, culture, education and sports.
