They preferred to withdraw rather than accept, says Jamaica
The Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it began approaching Cuba last July and has received no response.
By 14ymedio
HAVANA TIMES — While the Cuban government accused Jamaica of yielding to pressure from the United States to withdraw its medical mission, Jamaica’s version is different. They say the Cuban government did not even respond to Kingston’s proposal, which suggested maintaining the agreement if payments were made directly to the doctors and if they were allowed to keep their passports.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Jamaican government “is disappointed” with Havana, which preferred the withdrawal of 277 doctors rather than accept the proposed terms which Jamaica considers reasonable.
“We value the contribution of the medical personnel, respect the Cuban people, and maintain our commitment to cooperation. However, no program operating in Jamaica can continue under conditions that contradict Jamaican legislation and international conventions,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade emphasized.
Jamaica acknowledges that it began reviewing the agreements governing the medical missions after the United States stated that the program constitutes a form of forced labor and after US visas were revoked for officials from several countries last June.
“The so-called ‘medical missions’ are not humanitarian aid. They are a multimillion-dollar forced labor business in which the regime keeps up to 90% of the doctors’ salaries,” said Cuban-American legislator from Florida María Elvira Salazar on her social media accounts.
Kingston found that the doctors were not carrying their passports, which prompted immediate measures to correct the situation. “The matter was raised with the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency, as well as with the local Cuban authorities, to ensure that all personnel could carry their passports,” the statement says. [Cuba`s accompanying security routinely withhold the doctors’ passports to avoid their possible escape.]
Another concern involved salaries. “Although they were calculated at the same level as those of their Jamaican counterparts, the payments were being made by Jamaica to the Cuban authorities in US dollars,” without specifying the amounts.
The only payment the Cuban doctors themselves received, the bulletin states, was “overtime pay.” However, there is “no contractual provision” specifying what portion of Jamaica’s payments should be given to the doctors.
“That agreement raised serious concerns under Jamaica’s labor and tax laws, as well as international labor conventions,” the official document notes.
Kingston began discussions with the Cuban government last July with the aim of restructuring the agreement. From that point on, the issues of payments and documentation were raised.
The matter reached the Cabinet in October, and after discussion a formal proposal was drafted. “Unfortunately, the continued lack of response had the practical effect of preserving an agreement that Jamaica could not justify,” the statement says.
Kingston’s decision adds to those recently adopted by other countries in the region that have modified or canceled similar agreements with Cuba. Among them are Honduras, Guatemala, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Guyana, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
First published in Spanish by 14ymedio and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.
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