Affirms prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines upon arriving in Cuba

BY ARNALDO MUSA — Granma daily staff writer —

Before anyone else was talking about the problem, Fidel was trying to alert the world to the food crisis that is now hitting the Caribbean and other parts of the world, affirmed Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Caribbean leader reiterated how the Commander in Chief had pointed to the dangers of using fertile farmland meant for food crops for the production of biofuels, which is why there is now a great scarcity of foodstuffs, particularly grains, and prices are rising monthly for wheat, corn, rice… This is a very serious issue," Gonsalves emphasized, noting that the most critical situation in the region was in Haiti, to which his own country had sent 50 tons of rice.

The prime minister, who was received at José Martí Airport in Havana by Cuban Government Minister Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, said that Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member nations such as Dominica, Antigua and Barbados, along with his own country, were signatories to the principles of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) and were participating in pacts such as PETROCARIBE.

Gonsalves said he would meet with leader of the Cuban government in order to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in areas such as health care, construction and energy conservation.

The Caribbean leader’s friendship with Cuba is well-known, and he commented that he doesn’t feel right if he does not visit at least two or three times a year, highlighting his affection for our country.

Granma 06-05-2008