11CubanIA Doc

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Cuba's Foreign Policies benefitted the Jamaican Economy more than Cuba itself 1972-

1980.

Introduction

The decade of the 1960s saw the emergence of political independence throughout the Caribbean

with Jamaica, and several other British Caribbean islands gaining their independence. At this

time there was a virtual non-existence of relationship between Cuba and these islands. However

the early seventies (70s) saw significant developments in relations between Castros Cuba and

Manleys Jamaica.

Motivated by the common interest of regional integration, the newly freed English-speaking

countries in the Caribbean, Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados decided to

recognize Cuba, and jointly established full diplomatic relations with the country in 1972. This

move was a landmark in hemispheric affair and played a significant role in regional integration.

In the early 1970s Cuba committed a minimal but significant share of its economic resources to

the Third World which included Jamaica. Cuba is viewed as one of the few Third World

countries to have a foreign assistance program. Despite both a severe debt crisis that has

besieged its economy and heavy dependence on Soviet assistance, Castro expanded Cuban aid

programs which not only survived but also flourished. Cuba's economic programs in the 1970s,

offered specialists in agriculture, sugar cultivation and refining, mining, fishing, transportation,

cattle raising, irrigation, economic and physical planning, and management. One major

component of the economic civilian aid was the construction program which involved Cuba

offering materials, organizational and planning advice, builders and topographic surveys.

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As a newly emerging independent nation, Jamaicas economy was in shambles. One reason

being, our former colonizers robbed and raped our countrys economy and also the former

government administration mishandled the little funds the country had and did very little to help

the country progress. Manley thought about reconstructing and redeveloping the Jamaican

economy, so that the countrys entire population would be able to live comfortably, afford

sufficient food, clothing and shelter. His aims included the rebuilding of the agricultural sector,

and the establishment of tourism and bauxite industries. "We must then consider development in

the context of International relations and foreign policy, together with the issue of foreign

capital. Ownership, co-operatives, rural development, growth, and incomes distribution all have

to be looked at as well".(Michael Manley,1974)

Castro was deeply inspired by Manleys leadership and goals, he respected him, and thought that

it would be beneficial to both countries if Cuba were to aid and assist in the development of the

Jamaican economy. Although Castro aimed at helping to develop and restructure the Jamaican

economy one cannot overlook the fact that the Cuban economy was also not at its peak, so along

with some financial aid Jamaica received social development strategies which in turn would aid

in the success and sustainability of the economy.

While Jamaica receives all these economic benefits, Cuba is not receiving any in return.

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Discussion and Analysis

By far the biggest Cuban influence across the Caribbean has been not a political but a pragmatic

economic one. The principal instrument of this Cuban policy was economic assistance; although

Cuba had few resources even limited aid had some dramatic and fundamental impact on the

smaller islands economies. During Michael Manley's terms as Prime Minister of Jamaica (1972-

80), the Peoples National Party (PNP) aligned itself with democratic socialism forces

throughout the world. This alignment opened the door to a relationship between Cuba and

Jamaica in the 1970s resulting in a comradeship between Jamaican Prime Minister Michael

Manley and Cuban leader Fidel Castro. These men had similar ideologies and theories as it

related to the development of the Caribbean economy, and this tightened the bond between the

two.

The intensification of relations between Jamaica and Cuba in the 1970s was significantly

influenced by the personal relationship that developed between the two leaders. Cuban aid to

Jamaica was highly visible and aimed directly at the needs of the poor, renewed economic

relations between Cuba and Jamaica began in 1974, with the establishment of an airline link

between the two islands. In 1975, the Agreement for Technical, Scientific and Economic

Cooperation was signed and a Joint Commission on Cuba-Jamaica Economic Cooperation was

established for the formal decisionmaking process.

An agreement was signed between Jamaica and Cuba in 1975, for a line of credit in the amount

of Canadian $5 million [US $4.30 million]. This facility was established to promote two-way

trade between the two islands and was available to public and private sectors. The line of credit

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provided financing for the purchase of raw material, consumer, capital and semi-capital goods

such as cement, frozen fish, artisan tools, plumbing fixtures, glass packaging and fertilizer. This

was done to facilitate and aid Jamaicas economic development; Castro was making an

investment in Jamaica since he realized that the country had potential.

The Gleaner on Friday, May 9, 1975 reported that thirty- three (33) Jamaican workers left the

island for a one year training program in Cuba, and that another one hundred and fifty (150)

persons will follow shortly after. The workers will study construction methods, and technology.

This training is a part of the Technical and Scientific Co-operation Agreements between the

governments of Jamaica and Cuba. The Honorable Anthony Spaulding, Jamaicas minister of

Housing said that Jamaica would benefit greatly from the upgrading of skills as the pace of

housing development was traditionally retarded by lack of sufficient expertise in the construction

field.

In agriculture, Cuba and Jamaica exchanged manpower, information and samples in livestock,

plantain, cocoa, coconut, grains, tubers, bananas, sugarcane and vegetables. Joint research was

conducted on smut disease resistant varieties of sugarcane. Cuba constructed and donated micro-

dams and relevant equipment and raw materials valued at $1.5m. The Cuban Government also

made farming equipment such as tractors available to Jamaicans. This proved to be a vital

contributor in the agricultural industry as it allowed for the efficiency of work.

Under the Cuban Jamaican economic aid agreement construction was a major component. This

agreement saw Cuba building several schools and training facilities. This included The Jose

Marti School which was valued $6m, the Garvey/Maceo Secondary School, G.C. Foster Physical

Education College, high schools at Vernmanfield and Montepelier. The construction economic

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aid also included two Sandino Prefabrication Plants valued at US$1.2m each. These

institutions contributed to the development of the Jamaican economy by allowing more

individuals to be able to have access to an education, which resulted in the dramatic decline of an

exorbitantly outrageous illiteracy rate. Manley believed that this was a vital contribution to

Jamaica, it is impossible to create either a modern economy or a just economy if substantial

proportion of the adult population is denied the social tools (Michael Manley, The Politics of

Change: A Jamaican Testament, 1974).

The Cuban Government engaged in trade with Jamaica, one such example is La Crema milk

which was milk that was subsidized for the lower class. It was proven that the Jamaican mass

population was suffering from a calcium deficiency, and by supplying the island with subsidized

milk Cuba was able to help the Jamaicans gain or regain much needed strength which would

contribute to a more reliable work force, and thus aid in the restructuring of the Jamaican

economy.

Cuba was teaching Jamaica the value and discipline of work, and Senator Dudley Thompson

believed that Cuba was leading us in the right direction.

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Conclusion

Cubas foreign policy in the Caribbean region in the 1970s was geared towards ending its

isolation in the hemisphere, include cooperation with conventional governments and

legitimizing the Cuban regime in the eyes of the world (Jones, 1979). Castro said we like the

government of Jamaica because we believe it is a progressive government (Anthony T. Bryan),

indicates the extent Cuba was willing to be involved in Jamaica

In some ways Cuba derived some benefits from the close relations with Jamaica in the 1970s.

First, and foremost, the Cuban revolution gained recognition as a political reality and its position

in the Caribbean community was legitimized. Furthermore, it showcased socialism as an

attractive option since it seemed to offer alternate solutions to socio-economic issues common to

all Caribbean nations.

Cuba did not benefit economically from its relationship with Jamaica as Jamaica did not have

much to offer the strength

There was exchange of personnel between the two countries. Castro expanded the civilian

assistance program in the late 1970s for economic and not merely ideological reasons, the

official policy rationale notwithstanding. While overseas activities did not immediately generate

significant trade in the decades to come (1990s) Cuba expanded civilian assistance program

reaped some return as it began to charge, in convertible currencies, for projects.

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