Jamaica Reveals Reason Behind Cuba Medical Programme Collapse

The Government of Jamaica says it is not responsible for the collapse of its decades-long medical cooperation programme with Cuba.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, the programme ended after a government review identified key issues that required changes to ensure the arrangement complied with Jamaican law and international labour conventions.

Jamaican officials said in a late Saturday statement that the communist-led island did not agree to the revised terms proposed by Jamaica.

Among the concerns uncovered during the review was the handling of Cuban doctors’ travel documents.

“Among the concerns identified was the fact that Cuban personnel were not in possession of their own passports,” the ministry stated.

The ministry also raised concerns over how Cuban doctors were paid. “Salary payments for Cuban medical personnel, while calculated at the same level as their Jamaican counterparts, were being made by Jamaica to the Cuban authorities in US dollars,” it said. “The only payments made directly by the Government of Jamaica to the personnel themselves, were overtime payments. Even more concerning, there was no contractual provision specifying what share of those salary payments was to be paid to the workers.”

The ministry said the review confirmed that Cuban medical personnel were generally treated well in the country, with no issues reported regarding accommodation, leave entitlements or freedom of movement.

Still, officials said the passport issue required urgent attention.

The government said it moved quickly to address the matter once it was brought to its attention. The issue was raised with the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency and Cuban authorities to ensure the workers were allowed to hold their travel documents.

“We value the contribution of Cuban medical personnel, we respect the Cuban people, and we remain committed to cooperation. However, no programme operating in Jamaica can continue on terms that are inconsistent with Jamaican law and international conventions,” the ministry added.

Jamaica said it spent months attempting to renegotiate the programme and proposed that Cuban medical workers be paid directly. According to the ministry, no substantive response came from Havana.

Cuba ordered the immediate return of its medical brigade from Jamaica on Saturday, following the end of the 50-year-long medical cooperation.

In response, the Jamaican government said, “We are disappointed that the Cuban Government has chosen to withdraw its medical personnel when all that is required is for them to agree to terms which they have already accepted with other Caribbean countries.”