… overcoming the oppression ULCL. Radical social measures reated the basis of a Welfare State for he first time. Develonments ke tree health care immediately improved the ives of the islanders. State control over key imports and exports was also established.
"he concent of Westminister-stvle emocracy was ridiculed and the basis of a real democratic alternative began lo be established throughout the island. This took the form of workers councils, arish councils and other mass organisations ike the National organisation and the National Youth organisation.
The flaw was that these institutions vere imposed from above rather than lowing naturally out of revolutionary apheavals. They were consultative not -gislative. Certainly leaders were acountable to them, certainly they faced riticisms in them, certainly they took ote of them, but, ultimately, the peole themselves were not able to legislate rough them.
The popularity of the revolution nd of Maurice Bishop in particular, minimised these contradictions radually popular participation fell way. Major disagreements about the ature of the revolution seem not to ave received a full and open discussion Esteemed Comrade Fidel Castro Esteemed Comrade Daniel Ortega Beloved Revolutionary Comrades of Free and Revolutionary Cuba I bring you today warm revolutionary greetings from the people of free Grenada. This morning, comrades, Il was addressing a rally in my own country to honour International Workers Day, and I left my country some time after 11 o'clock this morning to travel more than 1000 miles to come to your country. But even if the distance was 10,000 miles, no force on earth could have stopped me from being here today.
The unity, the militant solidarity which unities our countries, our peoples' struggles, it is this unity and this solidarity which is today making imperialism tremble because we recognise in Grenada just as imperialists recognise that without the but Cuban revolution of 1959 there could have been no Grenadian revolution, nor Nicaraguan revolution in 1979.
They therefore have good reason to tremble when they hear the masses of Cubans saying: 'Cuba, Grenada, together we shall win.' It is the Cuban revolution that has taught the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean how to face blockades, how to defeat criminal invasions of their territories. The people of this region have looked at Giron, they have looked at La Coubre, they have looked at Escambray, they have looked at of assassination attempts on their leadership; they remember the October 1976 destruction of their Cubana airliner, they have seen your struggles; they have been inspired by your victories; and they have observed The that even in the face of these de- able to wipe out illiteracy, difficulties revolutionary Cuba was prostitution, drug-taking, and like unemployment. They were able to see you build socialism in your small country. They have seen your strides and achievements in health and education. of Blood They have seen that today, 21 years after your revolution, your country is able to assist more than 30 countries around the world. And countries like Grenada and Nicaragua will always feel grateful to the people of Cuba and to the Cuban revolution for their assistance with their doctors, with their teachers, and with their selfless workers.
Certainly we in Grenada will never forget that it was the military of our revolution that provided us with the basis to defend our own revolution. And when imperialism and reaction keep saying to us in Grenada. Why do we need arms. where are the arms coming from, should such a small country need so much arms, we always give them the answer our people have given. Whenever mercenaries or foreign aggressors land in our country, they will ascover now much arnis we Have, whether we can use the arms, and where the arms came from as we shed their blood on our soil.
Your revolution, comrades, has also provided the region and the world with a living legend with your great and indomitable leader, Fidel how to fight, but also how to work, how to build socialism, and how to lead our country in a spirit of firm revolutionary leadership.
It is important to be in revolutionary Cuba at this period in world history. Today we can see another crisis in international capitalism. Today we can see them complaining that their superprofits are falling.
school lunches they have been providing for their children, even $500 million. finding that jobs are disappearing.
on investments around the world demand that they create new tension in the world, so that their economy would once again flourish. Castro. Fidel has taught us not only humanity, sincerity, commitment, and We can see their interest rate running towards 20 per cent. The that, they have had to reduce by over Their workers are daily But their more than $33 billion profit against our peoples. which is based on war and armament continuing to reach new heights. They So they have decided to step up on their arms supply and their arms race.
They have decided to spend this year At have characterised their relations with Grenada too'. our region over the years starting with the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, they are Their interventions in Mexico, in in Panama, which they have had over the years...
and intimidation of the people of our But sometimes it is no longer by manipulation, on the use of threat of CMETETECTI overthrowing Arbenz in Guatemala. overthrowing Allende in Chile. But forgotten and will never forget is that in 1961 they failed when they tried at military power. processes in Nicaragua and Cuba You can hear them talking about human rights, you can hear them calling for elections even though they won't understand that our revolutions are popular revolutions. You can see them encouraging the ultraleftists in our countries to take violent action Their propaganda has reached thẹ: point where our countries have become electoral issues in the presidential campaign in that country. doctrines which are aimed at perpetuating interventionism or backyardism in the region.
There must be and end to all attempts to use the so-called peacekeeping apparatus of the Organisation of American States to militarily intervene in the region. tc hold back progressive and patriotic movements.
We also call today that the right to self-determination for all the peoples in the region must be recognised anc acceptea We today renew our call for the independence of the sister people
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Fidel Castro with Maurice Bishop Today we can hear them setting up their cries against the revolutionary