The “Dominica-Cuba Friendship Association” held an emotional and supportive farewell activity this weekend for a group of 13 Cuban health collaborators who stayed here for more than 3 years rendering their services.

During the activity, their President, Dr. Damián Dublin, spoke for the association, as well as Frankie Iowe, a member of its Committee, Lloyd Pascal and Dr. Rachel Andrew, members of the Association. Also present were Oyane Matthew Henderson and Harolda Henry Riley, from the Executive, Belinda Charles from the Committee and members Kongit Pascal, Dr. Jhon Toussaint and Lestrade Charles.

All the Dominican speakers praised the work carried out by the collaborators. About them, they said, were doing their work with profound humanism, far from their families and their homeland, but with their hearts set on the people of Dominica. They also recounted the association, from its beginnings as a result of the first group of students from Dominica sent to Cuba to pursue university studies in 1979 and up to the present. All the speakers had words of praise for Cuba and its Revolution, especially Dr. Rachel Andrew, who, mentioning the thanks to those who had participated in the organization of the activity, gave special thanks to Fidel and his people, for given to most of those present in this activity, the opportunity to have studied at university in Cuba.

Each of the 13 collaborators who completed their mission received a present from the hands of the members of the association as a reminder of their stay in Dominica. At that time, some of the collaborators referred to their experience here and they all agreed that it had contributed a lot to their professional training. The collaborators who farewell were: Dra. Idelmys Alarcón Arango, Dra. Silvia Almeida Monteagudo, Dr. Onán Pérez Zapata, Lic. Rubisnier Reyes Rondón, Lic. Yasmín Sánchez Heredia, Lic. Félix Almora Álvarez, Lic. Nadia Matos Rico, Lic. Oneida Sánchez Sánchez, Lic. Yoankys Álvarez Marrero, Lic. Dayamí Barroso Mustelier, Lic. Yulenni Nápoles Dels, Lic. Yodaris González Romero and Lic. Leonid Kindelán Mesa.

Also present on the Cuban side were the Ambassador Ulises Arranz Fernández, the Consul Miriam Martín Posada and the Head of the Permanent Brigade of Health Collaborators, Dr. Francisco Sánchez Martínez. The head of the brigade congratulated all his colleagues for the successful completion of their mission and I wish them success in their future work in Cuba.

In his words, the Ambassador of Cuba began by recalling the figure of Commander “Chavez” on the 9th anniversary of his physical disappearance, whom he said, Fidel called Cuba’s best friend. He continued highlighting the meaning of this activity in which the association recognized the collaborators, as it is the best gift that can be taken by them as part of the tokens of gratitude that they receive daily from the people from Dominica. He also said that this type of recognition counteracts the media campaigns that seek to stain and hide the altruistic, selfless and humane work carried out by Cuban collaborators. Finally, he also thanked the “Dominica-Cuba Friendship Association” for its participation in the battle against the economic, financial and commercial blockade of the US government against Cuba

Embacuba Dominica