His Excellency Ernesto Sentì Darias, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba, and his wife Señora Margarita Valle, will be touring Northwest New Brunswick this coming September 12 and 13 at the invitation of Senator Pierrette Ringuette.
During their two-day trip, the Ambassador and his wife will have an opportunity to meet with provincial Cabinet ministers, members of the business community and seed potato growers. They will also visit towns, farms and industries, including McCain Foods in Grand Falls and the Irving sawmill in St-Léonard.
“Seed potato growers in the Grand Falls region have been exporting their products to Cuba since the 1950s,” the Senator explained. “So they have forged some important economic links, which we must do more to develop. Cuba imports over four million dollars’ worth of seed potatoes every year from our farmers in New Brunswick, making it their second-biggest market after the United States.”
Cuba’s economy is developing steadily, both in tourism and in infrastructure. Over the next five years, the Cuban government plans to invest in infrastructure and residential construction, which will create natural resource needs.
“I am delighted that the Ambassador and his wife accepted my invitation, because Cuba is an important trading partner,” Senator Ringuette said. “Our exports to Cuba have increased in recent years, and I want that to continue. This visit is an excellent opportunity to improve trade relations between Cuba and our region and also to help our respective rural economies develop further.”