THE first Caribbean Summit of the Americas continues today with high hopes that its conclusion will provide the ingredients that will repair the damaged U.S. image in Latin America.

While its main agenda will be focusing on tackling the global economic crisis, there is high expectation among many of the participating leaders that the U.S. cannot and should not sidestep the Cuban issue.

The last Americas Summit in Mar de Plata, Argentina in 2005 ended in discord with supporters of Cuba criticizing the policies of President George Bush.

Mr. Bush was not oblivious of the wind of change occurring in Latin America and the Caribbean but he chose to ignore it.

President Barack Obama is fully aware of the strong sentiments over Cuba. He has already implemented a small but significant move towards Cuba, that will remove some financial restrictions.

He has also indicated that, restrictions on visits by Americans to Cuba will be reviewed.

The U.S. foreign policy is undergoing a significant change and from statements made by the U.S. President, the immediate objective of the U.S. is to improve its battered image worldwide.

This is an enormous task ahead for Mr. Obama at the present time when he is confronted by the global economic crisis that is seriously affecting the U.S.

There are lots of hot spots in the global arena — that presents immediate challenges to the U.S. President: North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan are some of them.

Time will tell whether Mr. Obama’s strategy to crawl out of Iraq and go headlong into Afghanistan will not be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

The Cuban issue has to be confronted in a different manner.

The missile crisis and the Bay of Pigs invasion are reminders of serious blunders in strategy that must now be placed in the back burner.

There is no doubt, that the U.S. with the help of its allies, tried to bring Cuba to its knees for over 50 years without any sentiment for the effect these actions having on the Cuban people.

Guyana has been on the forefront of the Caribbean to support Cuba. It was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba.

We hope that the deliberations at this fifth Summit will conclude in an atmosphere of harmony.

We hope that the U.S. Government will flex its adamant attitude towards Cuba and accept the reality that the era, of economic blockades, confrontation, invasions and domination must be replaced by peace.

The U.S. policy on Cuba has been a failed one and therefore there is no alternative course other than one of reconciliation because continuing the old hard line approach will be of benefit to no one and will only help to maintain the embroiled tensions in various parts of the world.

This view is even strongly supported by Republican Senator Richard Lugar.

The U.S. economic embargo on Cuba “has failed,” top Republican lawmaker Lugar has said in a report likely to fuel momentum for a shift in U.S.’ decades-old policy toward the island.

“After 47 years … the unilateral embargo on Cuba has failed to achieve its stated purpose of ‘bringing democracy to the Cuban people,’ said the senator from Indiana — a senior member or the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, “it may have been used as a foil by the regime to demand further sacrifices from Cuba’s impoverished population.”

It is likely to frame the debate on overhauling U.S. policy after almost five decades of policy seeking to isolate Americas’ only communist country.

The report also comes one year after former leader Fidel Castro stepped aside after decades as the island’s president, although he remains from all appearances an important behind-the-scenes player in the island’s politics.

U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged dialogue with all foreign leaders including the U.S.’ traditional foes, in sharp contrast to successive U.S. administrations which have sought to isolate Havana.

But so far he has offered few details on how far he might be willing to go in reaching out to Cuba.

According to Lugar, while “current U.S. policy has many passionate defenders, and their criticism of the Castro regime is justified … nonetheless, we must recognize the ineffectiveness of our current policy and deal with the Cuban regime in a way that enhances U.S. interests.”