As part of the from Australia to Cuba with Love campaign currently under way in Australia and in Cuba, Sue, Lachlan and I had some interesting conversations on a 60 kms ride to Nudgee Beach and back.
What a small world. The first discussion was at Pam’s café at Nudgee Beach with three retired waterside workers, Jim, Rod, and Alan. They overheard us talking about wharfies and saw our From Australia to Cuba with Love jerseys. Sue told them about the campaign to raise awareness about the US blockade of Cuba and an agricultural project near the Bay of Pigs in Cuba that we are raising money to support.
They told us that the waterside workers union had done a lot to support Cuba over the years. Alan said that he had gone to Cuba with friends, and we discussed how Russian ships are currently in the port of Havana, whereas not long ago, there were cruise ships from the United States bringing tourists.
Lachlan explained that there had been a softening of the blockade under the Obama administration, but Trump had restored it, making it very hard for Cubans in their day to day life. We had a number of friends in common with the wharfies at the café. One asked how he could make a donation.
Lachlan told the Whafies that years ago, LeftPress published a book called Towards Peace – a worker’s journey written by a wharfie, Phil O’Brien who related this story about visit he made to the Soviet Union in 1962, not long after the revolution in 1959 And just before the cuban missouri crisis in October 1962
“One day, during one of the few times I was walking around on my own, I boarded a special peace bus with many delegates from Cuba. During the tour around Leningrad, there was much singing. Despite being an off-key singer, I sang Waltzing Matilda and The Banks Are Made of Marble, a workers’ song. The Cubans were thrilled and invited me to return to Cuba with them to see their country.”
Unfortunately, Phil couldn’t go to Cuba because he had to go back to work on the wharves and didn’t have any money for expenses and travel.
House mountains in the distance from Nudgee Beach
At Nudgee Beach, we met Sarah and Caroline from Nauru. Sarah told us about Cuban doctors who visited their island and assisted in the training of local doctors and health workers.
On our way home at the GOMA cafe , we had another discussion with two women who asked us about the agricultural project that this campaign supports.
Join the campaign to end the US blockade of Cuba and raise funds for the Agro Vivo agricultural project!
For more information , contact Sue Monk from the Australia Cuba Friendship Society.
Email: info@acfs-brisbane.org
Website: From Australia to Cuba with Love 2024 (raiselysite.com)
Some people are critical of the cuban revolution. But who can say we as a people have stood up to United States imperialism for 70 years and still support our revolution? TheCubans can.
Some time ago, The Guardian published this article to mark the date, February 3rd, 1962 when US President John F Kennedy decreed an end to trade relations with Cuba. Interestingly, Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, is the current US Ambassador to Australia, and with Biden’s additional sanctions against Cuba, there is still no change in sight from the politicalelite. Yet with campaigns like From Australia to Cuba with Love, there is bound to be some change at the grass roots level
Ian Curr , 15 June 2024