-DATE- 19750409 -YEAR- 1975 -DOCUMENT_TYPE- SPEECH -AUTHOR- F. CASTRO -HEADLINE- CUBAN-GUYANESE FRIENDSHIP RALLY -PLACE- CIENFUEGOS, LAS VILLAS RPOVINCE -SOURCE- HAVANA DOMESTIC SVC -REPORT_NBR- FBIS -REPORT_DATE- 19750410 -TEXT- Castro Speech Havana Domestic Service in Spanish 1525 GMT 9 Apr 75 FL [Speech by Prime Minister Fidel Castro at Cuban-Guyanese friendship rally in honor of visiting Guyanese Prime Minister Forbes Burnham in Cienfuegos, Las Villas Province--live] [Text] My dear Comrade Forbes Burnham, prime minister of the Guyanese Cooperative Republic, comrades of the Guyanese delegation, workers and students of Cienfuegos. [chanting, singing] We are gathered at this warn noontine--warm because of the sun and warm because of the fraternal spirit reigning here and the enthusiasm of Cienfuegos people [shouts] to hold this event of friendship between Cuba and Guyana. The visit of this delegation from the sister country of Guyana headed by Forbes Burnham is an important event and an honor for us Cubans. There are many reasons why these bonds of friendship are developing between the two countries. But above all we bear in mind the Guyanese Government actions in which it has proven its feelings of solidarity with the Cuban revolution. You know very well the history of these past years, the history of blockades and isolation of our country imposed by Yankee imperialism, to whose dictates almost all countries adhered, and especially the governments of Latin America. This isolation is progressively disappearing, and more and more Latin American governments are resuming diplomatic relations with Revolutionary Cuba. But we must bear much in mind the position of the Caribbean English-speaking countries. This group of countries, Caribbean like ours, geographically small like ours, acquired its independence a short time ago. Guyana, for example, acquired it barely 10 years ago. For centuries they lived under British colonialism. These are countries with very recent independence. But obviously the Caribbean English-speaking countries did not acquire the bad habit of Latin American governments which historically had a terrible fear of Yankee imperialism. To establish diplomatic relations with Cuba was a challenge to imperialism. However, the Caribbean English-speaking countries made that challenge, specifically, during a meeting of leaders of those countries in Trinidad in October 1972, the prime minister of the Guyanese Cooperation Republic proposed joint establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba. [applause] Therefore our Caribbean English-speaking neighbors beat our continental Spanish-speaking neighbors [applause] in this movement to break the isolation and blockade of our country. At the same time, those governments strongly condemned the policy of blockade against Cuba. And on these bases relations between Cuba and that group of countries are developing. With regard to Guyana, relations have been developing at a growing rate. We signed an air agreement with them, which I understand was one of the first of such agreements the Guyanese Cooperative Republic has made. We have established scientific-technological agreements with then, and we are working together in the development of the fishery industry. We remember and we are deeply grateful for the fact that Prime Minister Burnham invited us to visit his country on the eve of the nonalined conference in Algiers. We had the opportunity there [in Guyana] to establish contacts with the Guyanese people--an enthusiastic, militant people who are in solidarity with our revolution. We had the opportunity to observe the efforts of the Guyanese people, the way in which their workers were administering the first bauxite industry to be nationalized by the government under a policy aimed at recovering natural resources. We had the opportunity to note the great efforts of the Guyanese people for their development under the difficult conditions left by colonialism in all our countries. The history of these Caribbean countries is very similar--the discovery, conquest, centuries of economic exploitation, extermination of the native population, the establishment of the system of slavery, the most ruthless exploitation and the resultant poverty of the masses. We attained formal independence long before Guyana did. But you know perfectly well that Cuba went from the stage of Spanish colonialism to that of domination by Yankee imperialism until the triumph of the revolution in 1959 when we finally attained full independence. [applause] The national origins of our peoples are similar. Even though the Caribbean English-speaking countries have a different language, we are very much alike in all other things. We all were exploited by the monopolies. We all were forced to produce much cane and much sugar to enrich the foreign exploiters. We all had to work very hard exploiting the natural resources for the benefit of the foreign exploiters. We all received the same inheritance of underdevelopment and poverty. We all have had similar problems in culture, illiteracy, unemployment, lack of medical services and lack of the most fundamental elements needed to survive. We all are facing the sane task of developing the country. Some time ago we nationalized the sugar mills, cane plantations, mines, industries and all the natural resources. The Republic of Guyana is also on the path to recovering its natural resources. They have already nationalized the bauxite industry, which is their most important mining wealth. They are also making a great effort in education and public health. They propose to continue a policy of recovery of their natural resources and of developing the country. There are other similarities between the Commonwealth republic of Guyana and Cuba, one of them being its foreign policy. Like us, they belong to the movement of nonalined countries as a clear anti-imperialist concept. And in the fundamental problems of the world, the Commonwealth republic of Guyana and Cuba have a common position, as in their support of the Arab countries against imperialist aggression and in their support for Vietnam and its heroic struggle for national independence. In the past we actively supported the struggle of the African nations against Portugese colonialism; and we also maintain a similar position with respect to the struggle against the racial policy of South Africa. There is a great similarity in the foreign policies of Guyana and Cuba, and these are factors which justify the strengthening of relations between our two countries. Trade between Cuba and Guyana is also developing. They have large quantities of timber, vast woodlands. We could add that they have colossal rivers. They export timber and we are a country that needs timber--we are importers of timber. On occasions they have had a need for cement and, even though we do not have surpluses of cement, as you all well know, we have exported cement to the Republic of Guyana, and on the other hand we have been forced to import cement. [applause] On occasions we have also imported from Guyana part 3f the rice that we consume. They are important producers of rice. They have vast plains and lots of water. These are the essential factors for the cultivation of rice. They supply their needs and export certain quantities as well. They propose to continue to develop rice production. They have great experiences with rice and are willing to share their knowledge and experiences in rice production. They also produce cane, not the large quantities produced by Cuba, but it constitutes an important commodity in Guyana's exports. They propose to continue to develop cane production. They have shown great interest in our experiences in mechanization and we are willing to share them. [applause] The population of Guyana is relatively small, not quite 1 million inhabitants. On the other hard, they have more than twice the land mass of our country. This means that in the degree that they develop, manpower will be insufficient, as happened in Cuba. Thus they will need to mechanize to the maximum their agricultural and industrial activities. I spoke about Guyana's cane production. You have no idea of how the harvests are worked there. Their cane plantations are located in very low lands. There the outside boundaries of the plantations are not roads or paths, but canals. It could be called something like a Venice of cane. [laughter] They burn the cane also, mainly to protect the workers against harmful animals. They cut the cane and carry it to launches, yes launches. They do not transport it in carts or trucks. They take it to the launches and then to sugar mills on the canals. A tractor pulls several canoes full of sugarcane to the sugar mill. We were very much surprised at the conditions, so different, under which they grow and harvest sugarcane. Unlike us, who at times suffer from severe droughts such as in the past 2 years, they have excess water. Even part of the rice lands are below sea level. This forces them to build dikes and polders to take advantage of the land. But their [principal] characteristics are enormous rivers, whose hydraulic energy they will be able to exploit in future years, and excess water. That is why they cultivate sugarcane under conditions very different from ours. The fields are relatively small, all of them surrounded by canals. Of course they also have high ground. But in any case they are interested in the future mechanization of sugarcane farming. There are many possible points of cooperation between Guyana and Cuba, in the economic development of our respective countries as well as in foreign policy. These friendly relations, so friendly, with Caribbean English-speaking countries should be translated in the future into specific economic integration programs. And every time we raise the matter of future Latin American integration, we never forget to mention also the Caribbean English-speaking countries [applause] because it is our duty to struggle for the economic and even political integration of Latin American countries, including the Caribbean English-speaking countries. Our peoples have the duty of uniting and closely cooperating among ourselves and against the colonialist, neocolonialist and imperialist policy of domination which the United States established over our peoples. These are the bases for the friendship and relations between the people whose representatives are visiting us now and the Cuban people. These are the reasons that justify the warmth and enthusiasm of our welcome to the Guyanese delegation. [applause] And these are the reasons which explain and Justify our growing future cooperation. Comrade Burnham, today we find ourselves in the Cienfuegos region of southern Cuba [applause], in its central province. Cienfuegos has a long patriotic tradition going back to the times of the struggle for independence. At the sane time Cienfuegos has a long tradition of struggle, with active participation in our most recent revolutionary struggle for definitive national liberation. When we were fighting hard in the Sierra Maestra in September 1957, the Cienfuegos naval garrison joined with the Cienfuegos people and rebelled against the tyranny [applause] to support our revolutionary struggle, They participated in and wrote a page of exceptional heroism. They fought against numerically superior forces for an enter day. They caused innumerable casualties to the Batista army and, at the same time, they paid for their heroic gesture with the loss of many lives. Cienfuegos is an enthusiastic working city and one of the country's areas called upon to acquire greater industrial development. It is not a ease of the revolution showing favoritism toward Cienfuegos, it is nature which has given Cienfuegos privileges by endowing it, above all, with one of the country's best bays [applause], magnificent agricultural and sugarcane lands [applause], and other natural resources. History has been especially partial to Cienfuegos by allowing development of a magnificent people in this area. [applause] All thee factors determine the explosive industrial development of this area now and in future years. Of course this also implies a very serious commitment to the nation and the obligation to work very hard to assumed the responsibilities of that development. [applause] Besides, we believe that the people of Cienfuegos, the inhabitants of Cienfuegos city, who number some 85,000, according to the last count, because Cienfuegos also is growing rapidly [laughter], possibly are not enough for all the economic activities to be developed in future years and they will require the cooperation of the rest of Las Villas Province. An important thermoelectric industry, which will have to be further expanded in future years, was built in this city. This large warehouse bulk sugar terminal, which can handle up to 2 million tons per year, was built in this city. [applause] In order to load sugar, a 10,000 dwt vessel required 150 workers over a period of several weeks under the old loading system. Now a 10,000 dwt vessel can be loaded in this port with a very small group of workers, not more than 18 workers, in 14 hours and even less. [applause] Of course, before the triumph of the revolution, with the enormous rate of unemployment, it was totally impossible to build a warehouse for bulk sugar, to acquire the technology and raise work productivity. But with the Cuban socialist revolution, the scourge of unemployment disappeared and the paths to developing technology and raising work productivity are wide open. Without the revolution, this would have been impossible and no one would have agreed on building such a warehouse as this. Our first large fertilizer plant was built here in Cienfuegos. There was a smaller one in Matanzas. This is our first large nitrogenous fertilizer plant. [applause] This plant has more than 1,000 excellent workers and a large number of university technicians who have worked very hard to overcome the difficulties that were encountered when we started operation. These difficulties were mainly due to the deficiency of the equipment furnished by the British, or let us say the British firm in charge of preparing the plans and furnishing the equipment. The difficulties were many, but our workers have progressively overcome them. And the country has adopted the necessary measures to reach the highest level of production at this plant. At the present time this work center is producing a considerable amount of fertilizer for our agriculture. [applause] They expect to reach a production level of 200,000 tons by the end of this year. [applause] An important wheat mill, a corn Bill and a fishing fort [applause] are under construction in the port of Cienfuegos, Buildings for the construction industry have also been built here. Also under construction is a cement plant with a capacity of 11/2 million tons per year. [applause] Another important industry for the manufacture of irrigation equipment [applause] is also under construction. In 1977 construction of the first Cuban nuclear power plant will begin here. Besides, right in this area, sometime in the future, construction will begin on a new large nitrogenous fertilizer plant as well as a large oil refinery and our petrochemical industry next to the refinery. [applause] These are the facts Justifying that naming this place the Cienfuegos Industrial Zone, although all the industries will not be located here, because the cement plant will be located at the site where the foundations are located. There will be industries located in other parts of the city. There is also an important social development under way, a magnificent teacher-training school has been built. [applause] The Cienfuegos masses are building a beautiful sports stadium with their own efforts. They are also building at the same time a large hospital with 620 beds. [applause] They have built recreation areas, such as the Pancho Luna beach buildings and the road to that site At the entrance to the bay, which is one of the most beautiful places in Cuba, they are building a very modern hotel and a motel is under construction at Pancho Luna. [applause] They propose to continue working in that direction. Around Cienfuegos there many basic secondary rural schools are under construction [applause] In the city polytechnic schools are under construction. [applause] and also, the microbrigades of Cienfuegos are building many housing units. [applause] And many thousands of housing units will he required in future years to absorb the work force that Cienfuegos needs. Its students are of top quality, [shouts, applause] his preuniversity school in front of us [shouts, applause] won first place nationally in promotions in the last school year. [shouts, chanting, applause] It had 100 percent graduation. [shouts, chanting, applause] These facts speak highly of the working spirit and revolutionary morale of the citizens of this region. [applause] We are certain we will always recall the visit of Comrade Burnham and the Guyanese delegation as a historic event. [applause, chanting: "Cuba, Guyana, united as sisters"] They have acclaimed you with a beautiful slogan; Cuba, Guyana, united as sisters [applause] a slogan that, besides being poetic, is profoundly revolutionary and internationalist [applause], which is a reflection of our people. We are certain this city of Cienfuegos will be increasingly more revolutionary [applause] and it will be equal to the responsibilities the revolution has given it. [applause] A big job is awaiting the people of Cienfuegos, and above all, their youths [applause] and they sag: It does not matter. Some of the will be teachers, others technicians, engineers, doctors, and above all, all will be workers well qualified in all their fields. [applause] Some will have to study in universities of other provinces and some will have to study broad. But we are certain that all of them will return to Cienfuegos [applause] to fulfill their obligations in Cienfuegos for the development of Cienfuegos, for the development of the country, and for the triumph of the revolution. [applause] Long live the closest and lasting friendship between the peoples of Guyana and Cuba. [applause, shouts of "viva"] Fatherland or death! We will win [applause, shouts of "venceremos"] -END-