On Wednesday, KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC—Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves defended the Cuban well being brigade program after america introduced it intends to revoke the visas of overseas authorities officers whose international locations make use of Cuban medical doctors and nurses.
“Perhaps some folks in Florida who’re pushing a line don’t fairly perceive what’s going down, and once they get the knowledge, they’ll see that they’re mistaken,” Gonsalves stated on his weekly radio program on the state-owned NBC radio.
Final week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated 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 overseas authorities officers, who’re believed to be chargeable 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, stated within the assertion posted on the US Division of State’s web site that the brand new coverage additionally applies to the quick household of these folks 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 Prime Minister Gonsalves informed radio listeners that Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM) overseas ministers met on the problem, “and so they’ve determined to collate all of the related info, and they’re going to deal with the problem regionally, and they’re hoping to have a gathering someday within the not-too-distant future at an applicable stage with the American authorities.”
Gonsalves stated that whereas St. Vincent and the Grenadines don’t have a major variety of Cuban medical personnel in comparison with Jamaica and Guyana, Kingstown pays the Cuban professionals the speed it does for its personal professionals.
“It’s stated that the Cuban professionals who’re right here underneath the settlement with the Cuban authorities needed to pay, I don’t know if it’s 10 p.c or 15 p.c, no matter it’s, of their wage to the Cuban authorities.
“However that doesn’t imply that they’re exploited. They bought a free schooling. And in the event that they’re going abroad and earning profits from that schooling, it’s not unreasonable for them to place again one thing within the kitty for extra folks to be educated. We put our folks on bond. The American federal authorities lends cash, and folks should repay the loans,” Gonsalves stated.
He stated that when knowledgeable comes right here and does something, they need to pay a withholding tax.
“Not solely right here, withholding tax is in America. I believe there’s a misunderstanding as to what’s occurring. Perhaps some folks in Florida who’re pushing a line don’t fairly perceive what’s going down, and once they get the knowledge, they’ll see that they’re mistaken,’ he added.
Gonsalves defended the presence of Cuban well being personnel right here, making reference to the Haemodialysis Unit on the Fashionable Medical and Diagnostic Advanced, which is overseen by Cuban professionals.
“There are 60 individuals there on hemodialysis, 60 extraordinary Vincentians. They’re getting the hemodialysis free, however the level I’m going to make is that if the Cubans will not be there, we could also be unable to run the service. Should I enable 60 individuals to die?
“Effectively, folks know me. If I gave them free dialysis, they might perceive my choice. However the horrible factor about it is a assertion from the State Division, from Marco Rubio, who’s an individual whom I respect; then, in case he should be revered, he’s a excessive official of the US authorities — Secretary of State.
“When this factor got here out, and that third international locations, which can be complicit in what they name the exploitation of Cuban professionals, and that they’ll take care of them with visas, they began, ‘Effectively, Ralph and Eloise (spouse)will use their visa.”
Gonsalves stated he’s disillusioned that some folks had been rejoicing on the US place, including, “They know that I’ll desire to lose my visa than to have 60 poor and dealing folks die.
“And that’s just one space. However then they gloat and prolong it for political functions. ‘You see, is what Ralph is doing with Cuba and Venezuela. Vincentians won’t be able to go to America.’ That’s not what it says. That’s not the problem; it’s the officers if they create down the hammer.”
Gonsalves stated, “Reasonably than saying we don’t have something right here referred to as the exploitation of the Cubans and to say there should be some misunderstanding, so that may’t apply to us. The NDP(opposition Nationwide Democratic Social gathering) can’t resist it; they and their fellow vacationers can’t resist it. Pull down the temple”.
Rubio, in his assertion, stated that Cuba continues to revenue from the pressured labor of its staff and that that regime’s abusive and coercive labor practices have been effectively documented.
“Cuba’s labor export applications, which embody the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and within the case of Cuba’s abroad medical missions, deprive extraordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately want of their dwelling nation,” Rubio stated, and that Washington stays dedicated to countering pressured labor practices across the globe.
After the 1959 Cuban Revolution, Havana established a program to ship its medical personnel abroad, notably to Latin America, Africa, and Oceania, and to deliver medical college students and sufferers to Cuba for coaching and therapy. The venture has been expanded to incorporate a number of Caribbean international locations.
