ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC—Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the USA ought to deal with the Caribbean with ‘some extent’ of respect slightly than threaten the area over the survival of its healthcare techniques.
“In the event that they had been to take punitive motion due to the presence of Cuban medical personnel in our healthcare techniques, it will virtually dismantle these techniques throughout the area,” Browne mentioned as he dismissed any notion that Antigua and Barbuda is concerned in human trafficking via using Cuban medical doctors and nurses in well being techniques throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
Late final month, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Washington was asserting “the enlargement of an present Cuba-related visa restriction coverage that targets pressured labor linked to the Cuban labor export program.
“This expanded coverage applies to present or former Cuban authorities officers, and different people, together with international authorities officers, who’re believed to be liable for, or concerned in, the Cuban labor export program, notably Cuba’s abroad medical missions.”
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who left Cuba in pursuit of the American dream, mentioned within the assertion posted on the US Division of State’s web site that the brand new coverage additionally applies to the instant household of these individuals supporting the Cuban program.
He added, “The division has already taken steps to impose visa restrictions on a number of people, together with Venezuelans, underneath this expanded coverage. ”
However Browne, talking on his weekly radio program over the past weekend, mentioned that whereas St. John’s, as a matter of coverage, has at all times stayed away from getting concerned in United States insurance policies concerning different nations, he’ll converse out in circumstances the place these insurance policies have an effect on the nation.
“On the difficulty of their place on the Cuban medical doctors and nurses, that’s an space the place we now have to do some realignment to verify we don’t find yourself of their cross-hairs. Nevertheless, the US should perceive that these Cuban medical personnel characterize the core of our healthcare providers inside the Caribbean.
“We’re not concerned in any unlawful actions, any human trafficking, and we reject that notion that we’re concerned in any human trafficking,” Prime Minister Browne informed radio listeners, echoing comparable sentiments made by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has made concerning the Cuban well being brigade.
Prime Minister Browne mentioned that the Cuban medical doctors, nurses, and technicians are being paid and urged a willingness to evaluate the cost mechanism as one thing ‘we are able to have a look at.’ Nevertheless, he expressed that Washington’s angle is, at ‘face worth,’ an overreach.
“This extra-territorial positioning, articulation, and menace; this isn’t the route we should go. I imagine that CARICOM nations and US officers can talk about how we are able to construction funds sooner or later. I don’t see the necessity for them to threaten us. We’re sovereign nations; despite the fact that we’re small and powerless, they need to respect our sovereignty.
“We’re not making an attempt to do something to harm our neighbor to the north; that’s an important relationship for virtually all of CARICOM nations, and we’re inextricably linked in that we now have the biggest Caribbean diaspora in the USA,” Browne mentioned.
He reiterated that Antigua and Barbuda has little interest in any acrimony with the USA whereas suggesting that the Donald Trump administration ought to deal with the Caribbean states with ‘some extent’ of respect slightly than threatening the area over such a essential situation because the survival of their healthcare techniques.
“In the event that they had been to take punitive motion due to the presence of Cuban medical personnel in our healthcare techniques, it will virtually dismantle these techniques throughout the area,” he
Browne mentioned Caribbean diplomats are planning to fulfill with Rubio to debate the matter and reiterated the necessity for respectful dialogue.
“We’re sovereign nations. Their enemies usually are not our enemies. We’re pals of all, enemies of none.”
