00:00The 50th meeting of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was held.
00:04The main focus was the situation facing Cuba in the face of the U.S. energy procade.
00:08Our correspondent Crystal Hoyt has more information.
00:13Regional leaders concluded the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in St. Kitts and Nevis
00:19with a clear message.
00:20The Caribbean community remains united while navigating complex geopolitical pressures.
00:26Cuba was a central focus, particularly following discussions with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
00:34CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Terence Drew,
00:38confirmed that the bloc is preparing a coordinated humanitarian response.
00:43The matter of the challenging situation in Cuba was also discussed.
00:49First, all parties recognized, and this is our meeting with the Secretary of State,
00:57all parties recognized that there should be efforts to address the growing humanitarian crisis
01:04that's within CARICOM.
01:06The Caribbean community, cognizant of its very close relationship with both Cuba and the USA,
01:14and mindful of the extent to which the region can be negatively affected,
01:20is willing and to participate in any way that will redound to the benefit of the Cuban people
01:28while maintaining regional stability.
01:31Beyond the statement, the CARICOM Chair was pressured on timelines.
01:35We are going to respond on the humanitarian end in short order, within a month.
01:43We will give more specifics on it very, very shortly,
01:47but within a month, we are going to respond in a significant way
01:52to help the humanitarian situation in Cuba.
01:56As to if that humanitarian aid will include fuel remains unclear,
02:01much like the discussion on the regime change.
02:05CARICOM has not involved itself in any discussion of such nature.
02:11As such, we are very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Cuba,
02:17which I have spoken about, and that is what we are responding to.
02:21Within a month, you would see exactly what CARICOM would do with respect to that.
02:25Additionally, we got an update on a request made.
02:28A few months ago, the U.S. asked for permission to install a radar
02:31at the Morris Bishop International Airport in Grenada,
02:35similar to what they've done in Tobago.
02:38Grenada had previously indicated that it was considering the request,
02:41but Prime Minister Deacon Mitchell was clear that for now, the radar is off the table.
02:47So as regional leaders depart St. Kitts and Nevis,
02:50the focus now shifts toward humanitarian assistance in Cuba.
02:54Crystal Hoyt, Tala Sir, Bridgetown, Barbados.
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