Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, met yesterday with Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Barbados, Sergio Pastrana, during a courtesy call on the Minister at the Ministry’s Haggatt Hall Headquarters.
During the meeting, discussions were held on the exchange of coaching staff, sports scholarships, entrepreneurship and mentorship, with Ambassador Pastrana noting that Cuba was ready to extend any help that was needed.
It was noted that there was an existing sports cooperation agreement between Cuba and Barbados, and that there were coaches on island providing support to the National Sports Council.
In highlighting the fact that his Ministry wanted to see the island’s indigenous sport throughout the Caribbean, Minister Griffith opined that Barbados could send one or two coaches to Cuba to promote road tennis since it was looking at promoting it throughout the Caribbean and beyond.
He concluded that it would be a “big opportunity for us to share from that perspective”. It was also agreed that Barbados could assist Cuba in building its capacity in the sport of cricket.
The Minister also suggested that Barbados could gain knowledge from Cuba on the initiatives implemented to support community development, and it was agreed that opportunities existed to extend our engagement to include both youth and community empowerment.
Both parties expressed hope for the continued development of the relationship between the countries and their people.
Barbados and the Republic of Cuba will later this year mark 50 years of diplomatic relations since the establishment of relations on December 8, 1972.