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CU: President Fidel Castro of Cuba talking to Mr Norman Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica
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CU: Mr Manley talking to President Castro (2 shots)
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SV: Officials watching the two leaders
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CU: President Castro talking to Manley as officials look on (4 shots)
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Jamaican Prime Minister, Mr Michael Manley, has visited Cuba for talks with President Fidel Castro on Caribbean relations and the economic problems faced by their two countries.

SYNOPSIS: Prime Minister Manley's trip to Cuban came at a time when both Caribbean states are facing economic difficulties. The price of sugar has dropped on the world market in recent months and Cuba is relaying heavily on favourable relations with the Soviet Bloc for economic survival. Jamaica has just cancelled negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on loans to bridge its high trade deficit and has started negotiating with its major commercial creditors in an effort gain a five year deferment of over 180 million dollars in loans due to expire before 1985. Jamaica forfeited a 240-million dollar IMF loan in December because it failed to meet the fund's conditions and the government has said the Fund's conditions for continued aid are unacceptable. In addition to economic problems Mr Manley and President Castro discussed relations in the Caribbean and the Non-Aligned Movement.