Speaker Abeywardena addresses members of Parliament. Cuban envoy Juana Elena Ramos Rodríguez is seated next to the Speaker (pic courtesy Parliament)

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has extended his gratitude to the Cuban Government for their continuous support to Sri Lanka during the difficult times and said that he expected such cooperation between the two countries would continue to grow in the future as well.

He was grateful to Cuba for the dispatch of a five-member Cuban Medical team to Haiti to look after the health needs of Sri Lankan workers serving there upon a request made by the Government of Sri Lanka during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Speaker said so at the revival meeting of the Sri Lanka – Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Association held in Parliament on Monday (5). Juana Elena Ramos Rodríguez, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Sri Lanka and several Cabinet Ministers, State Ministers and Members of Parliament were present at the meeting.

‘’I must not forget to mention here that Cuban doctors had made a valuable contribution in the medical field in Sri Lanka in the past. As per records, they had worked in hospitals in Ampara and Anuradhapura for many years and in 2004 during the tsunami disaster, they came forward again to help the affected community in Sri Lanka. I hope that this Friendship Association will add more intensity to the long-standing friendship and brotherhood that exist between our two countries and their people.’’ the Speaker said.

The new office-bearers of the Association for the 9th Parliament were elected at the meeting; accordingly, MP Prof. Tissa Vitharana was appointed as the President of the Sri Lanka – Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Association and Parliamentarians Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Sagara Kariyawasam and Aravindh Kumar were appointed as the Vice Presidents of the Association.

MPs Mohamed Muzammil and J.C. Alawathuwala were appointed as the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Association respectively.