From trinidad & Tobago Newsday

CARIBBEAN PEOPLE must educate themselves on their history to confront a changing world, with new leaders and policies that will directly affect the Caribbean, says Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Dr June Soomer.

“I cannot emphasise how important it is that we educate ourselves and our children about our history- from our perspective.” Schnoor’s said so while paying tribute to the late Cuban President, Fidel Castro, during a function hosted in Castro’s honour at the ACS Secretariat, Sweet Briar Road, St Clair this past Thursday.

Diplomats and heads of mission from some of the 33 ACS member states attended the event “to remember the revolutionary Cuban leader who passed away last November, at the age of 90, after leading his country for 49 years,” the ACS said.

Schnoor said “our world is changing – we have lost leaders and new leaders have emerged whose thinking and policies directly impact our region and challenge our principles.” She added that the people of the Greater Caribbean must creatively make use of all means available, including story-telling, song, dance, literature, and the classroom to ensure that a bright Caribbean future could be built on the legacy of towering historical figures like Castro.

“The story of liberation struggles like the Haitian Revolution that have brought our Caribbean civilisation to this point in history, must be passed on to future generations if we are to truly build on the heritage that passionate and brave men and women have bequeathed us.” Soomer noted that under Castro’s leadership, Cuba’s strides in cultural, scientific and medical innovation were always part of building Caribbean civilisation.

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