PRIME Minister, Moses Nagamootoo reiterated his pledge against encouraging or condoning terrorism in settling differences or controversies.

During his remarks at the wreath laying ceremony in observance of the 42nd Anniversary of the Cubana Air Disaster, held on Saturday at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen campus, the prime minister also shared a poem he had written in 1976 to express outrage against the terrorist act.

Addressing relatives and friends of the victims, the prime minister said the bombing claimed the lives of Guyanese, Cubans and Koreans.

The Guyanese who perished included Margaret Bradshaw, Sabrina Harrypaul 9, Seshnarine Kumar 18, Ann Nelson 18, Eric Norton 18, Raymond Persaud, Gordon M. Sobha, Rawle Thomas 18, Rita Thomas, Violet Thomas and Jacqueline Williams 19.
Minister Nagamootoo said Guyanese will continue to collectively share the grief and loss over the calculated mass murder, while reaffirming our commitment to the rule of law and international norms for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Quoting former President of Cuba, Fidel Castro, Nagamootoo said “when our grief is multiplied injustice trembles.”

He explained that the terrorist attack not only targeted Cuba, but Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana, which had together defied the US-imposed isolation policy by establishing diplomatic relations with revolutionary island state in 1972.

“Guyana has paid a heavy price in the loss of precious lives for dictating its own policies and goals together with all the other small Caribbean states towards a sister Caribbean nation. The Cubana terrorist bombing brought us shared grief and it also strengthened our resolve not to sever close bonds with our Cuban brothers and sisters,” the Prime Minister said.

He said it is a reminder not to surrender to bullyism over sovereignty and unimpeded access to Guyana’s natural resources.

“Today terrorism is no longer a deadly export cargo, it has become home grown, no state could be insulated as we have seen 25 years after Cubana with the horrendous 911 tragedy, and elsewhere too many innocent people including babies, children and students are being slaughtered daily in mindless acts of terrorism,” the Prime Minister noted.

Ambassador of Cuba, Narciso Reinaldo Amador Socorro, in his address, said October 6th has been adopted in Cuba as the day of ‘Victims of State Terrorism’ in perpetual remembrance of those killed as a result of terrorist acts against Cuba.

“The sabotage of Cubana de Aviacion aircraft on October 6, 1976, best known as: ‘The Crime of Barbados’ has left an unforgettable sorrow in the hearts of Guyanese and Cuban people. For that reason we are gathered together in the rejection of terrorism, the highest expression of irrational hatred,” the Cuban envoy said.

The ambassador said that history has shown that unity, solidarity and cooperation amongst peoples are the best ways to overcome aggression and adversaries.

“Nothing will stop our two countries to continue working together for peace, happiness and sustainable prosperity of our two nations,” the Cuban envoy said.

President of the Guyana Cuba Solidarity Movement (GCSM), Halim Khan said
forty two years ago a Douglas DC-8 aircraft trundled down the runway at Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados and took off, climbing into a blue Caribbean sky.

“As Flight 455 reached 18,000 feet, a bomb went off under an empty seat, the plane’s ascent slowed and it began to bank dangerously. Eight minutes later a second bomb went off in the toilet at the back of the plane and the plane plunged into the ocean. Everyone on board perished,” Khan said.

Further, he noted that the 73 persons on board perished including a girl, aged nine.
The GCSM President said Luis Posada Carriles, who was identified as a CIA-backed anti-Castro movement terrorist, was never convicted or faced any sanctions living out his old age somewhere in the US.
“This was confirmed by the CIA in 2005. The agency had concrete advance intelligence as early as June 1976 of plans by Cuban exile terrorist groups in Miami to bomb the airline,” Khan said.