33rd anniversary of first visit by a sitting US president... Contrast between Ronald Reagan’s lashing of Cuba and Obama’s reconciliation.... The leaders- Reagan, Seaga, Obama, Castro

Tuesday, April 07, 2015    

ON the eve of the visit of United States President Barack Obama, Jamaicans are today marking the 33rd anniversary of the first visit to the island by a sitting US president, Ronald Reagan, who came in contrasting circumstances on April 7, 1982. While Reagan brought a strong anti-Communist message and lashed Marxist Cuba as the "only Caribbean nation which has totally enveloped itself in Marxism, a philosophy alien to this hemisphere", Obama comes against the backdrop of negotiations to lift the punishing embargo against Cuba.

The leaders- Reagan, Seaga, Obama, Castro

Today the Jamaica Observer reproduces excerpts of the address by President Reagan (who was accompanied by his wife Nancy), and the welcome address given by then Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga at a state dinner at King's House:

Nancy and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the warm and gracious welcome that you've given us here in Jamaica. In the hours of flying down here today and seeing many of the islands for the first time and out over the vast blue of the Caribbean, it seemed as if we were getting a long way from home. It's very funny, but I feel very much at home right now.

It's been said here and it's true, Mr Prime Minister, you were the first head of state to visit us in the White House after my Inauguration. From the beginning I felt a special sense of closeness and common purpose with you. Your election was only one week before my own, and we were both given mandates to restore economic health to our respective nations and to secure the freedom which is so dear to us all.

I followed your progress with great interest and admiration as in my country there's still much to do. But I congratulate you for the significant accomplishments that you've already made since our last meeting...For the first time in seven years Jamaica has had real growth in its economy, and inflation has been dramatically reduced. You have set your country on a course for economic progress by making the hard decisions first and sticking to them. And I know from 14 months of experience how difficult that can be. more