With the US Government threatening visa sanctions against Governments that use Cuba’s Overseas Medical Missions, Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo today said it is imperative for leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to jointly engage the US on the implications of such sanctions.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio announced that the US will bar visas to foreign Government officials who, through their countries, support and benefit from the medical programme.

“This expanded policy applies to current or former Cuban government officials, and other individuals, including foreign government officials, who are believed to be responsible for, or involved in, the Cuban labor export program, particularly Cuba’s overseas medical missions. This policy also applies to the immediate family of such persons”, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced two days ago.

Guyana has long benefited from the Cuban Medical Brigade and has been importing nurses and other medical professionals from Cuba to fill shortages in the public healthcare system.

Vice President Jagdeo said the issue is not unique to Guyana, but the US Government’s new position has the potential to impact countries across the Caribbean region.

“This is not a Guyana in-put, it is a regional issue….it transcends administrations, political administrations and a long period of history, have had Cuban Medical Brigades in their country. So, it is an issue that will affect every country in our region, every single country, not just in CARICOM, many other countries around the world,” the Vice President said.

Mr. Jagdeo said the issue has already engaged the attention of CARICOM Heads of Government, who have acknowledged the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with the Trump Administration.

“There was an agreement to engage the Trump Administration on a number of issues because we felt that President Trump should see the region not through the eyes of third party but directly get views from the leaders of the region,” the Vice President said.

He said the US Secretary of State has been in communication with a number of leaders within the Regional Bloc, including President Irfaan Ali, and Guyana would be a part of the regional approach to the US Administration either directly with the US State Department or the White House. 

The Vice President said countries within the region, including Guyana have benefited from the Cuban Medical Brigade.

“The Cuban presence, medical presence in the Caribbean has been there for a very, very long time, and has transcended several US administrations. The Cuba medical presence in the region has had some positive impact on healthcare delivery across the region,” Mr. Jagdeo said.

He said the regional leaders, when engaging the US, would use the opportunity to discuss other issues arising from various new policies being implemented by the US, in the areas of trade and commerce, and immigration and deportation.

The Donald Trump administration has accused Cuba of profiting from the forced labor of its workers, stating that the Cuban regime’s abusive and coercive labor practices are well documented.

The US State Department has said Cuba’s labor export programs, which include the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and in the case of Cuba’s overseas medical missions, deprive ordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately need in their home country. 

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