Bahamians, Cubans are not just Our Neighbours - They are Our Family
CUBA IS OUR FAMILY
“Deo adjuvante, non timendum.” “With God as My Helper, I have nothing to fear”
By Dr. Kevin J Turnquest-Alcena
Nassau, NP, The Bahamas
The dictionaries have many definitions of the term “to bastardize.” I will quote one such definition which is particularly relevant to the present narrative. To bastardize an entity is “to change something in such a way as to lower its quality or value, typically by adding new elements.” The synonyms to bastardize include words like corrupt, contaminate, weaken, pollute, degrade, and depreciate.
Cuba, Karma will never allow a descendent of Cuba to obliterate Cuba and its steadfast principles. In spite of the neo conservative propaganda against Cuba.
“It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.”
— Voltaire
Cuba has experienced the harsh realities of the imperialist agenda and has made it clear: it wants no part of it again.
Imperialism is a policy or ideology in which a country extends its power and influence over other countries or territories, often through military force, political control, or economic dominance. This type of expansionism has historically left a trail of exploitation, underdevelopment, and cultural erosion in its wake.
Cuba, geologically, originated from the Yucatán Mountains in Mexico. Incredibly, so did The Bahamas. In the early 1970s, fossils of the Cuban crocodile were discovered in the caves of Grand Bahama. This provided evidence of a deep, ancient connection. Both Cuba and The Bahamas are made primarily of limestone, a rare geological trait that binds us together in more than just proximity.
We are not just neighbors. We are family.
Cuba is surrounded by three major bodies of water: the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Geographically, The Bahamas is Cuba’s closest neighbor. On clear nights, the lights of Santiago de Cuba can be seen from Inagua and Cay Sal Bank.
Even the fruits we eat, such as guavas and tamarinds, have strong roots in Cuba. The cultural and botanical heritage is intertwined. This article exists to highlight this closeness, the geographical, historical, and cultural bonds that make us more than neighbors. We are kin.
In the realm of geopolitics, this kinship must not be forgotten. The Bahamas may have emerged from Cuba thousands or even millions of years ago. That ancestral bond matters. It cannot be erased by modern politics, foreign agendas, or ideological manipulation.
To turn our backs on Cuba would be to turn our backs on ourselves.
The blockade against Cuba is not a matter of political ideology. It is a criminal act. The same nations that sanction Cuba trade openly with countries like Vietnam and China, which maintain similar political systems.
This exposes the truth. The embargo is not about communism. It is about control. It is not about democracy. It is about power. And it is certainly not about principle. It is rooted in bombastic jealousy of Cuba’s resilience, independence, and refusal to be dominated.
Despite immense hardship, Cuba stands strong. It remains a beacon of solidarity, cultural pride, and endurance in the face of decades-long adversity.
“In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.”
— Napoleon Bonaparte
Indeed, the political absurdity of isolating one of our closest and oldest neighbors must be called out. We must stand on the right side of history, not with those who fear Cuba’s strength, but with those who recognize Cuba as family.
