Jamaica-Cuba Medical Cooperation Concludes Following Unresolved Terms

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, has emphasised that the decision to discontinue the arrangement for deploying Cuban medical professionals in Jamaica’s public health sector stemmed from the inability of both Governments to reach agreement on new terms and conditions under a revised technical cooperation framework.

The previous agreement with the Cuban Government came to an end in February 2023.

While responding to questions during the Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House of Representatives at Gordon House on Thursday (March 5) the Minister acknowledged that concerns about the programme had been raised by the United States (US) but assured that these did not ultimately influence the decision to end it.

“You would have heard us defending the programme in various contexts, because when the [Cuban medical professionals] come here, we do our very best to be respectful and ensure that our treatment of them accords with the laws of Jamaica and best international labour law practice. Where the programme came into conflict with those things, unfortunately, we were not able to reach agreement on correcting them and that is why the programme has ended,” Senator Johnson Smith stated.

She noted that the Government has been working to renegotiate the agreement since its expiration three years ago, but the process has encountered several challenges.

“There were issues that were easily solved. We were going to put the Eye-Programme and the General Medical Programme together in one document. We were going to look at the issue of the ability to celebrate Cuban National Days here, et cetera,” the Minister outlined.

She further noted, however, that additional issues arose which posed challenges under Jamaican law.

“In the closer review, it was clear that they needed to change, and we had hoped that with the sensitivity and good faith and relative sensitive way in which the negotiations were conducted… that we would have, in good faith, been able to reach an agreement. It is regrettable that we were unable to so do,” Minister Johnson Smith stated.

In order to ensure continuity of the services provided by the Cuban medical professionals currently in Jamaica, and to safeguard their personal certainty and well-being, the Government has indicated its willingness for the Ministry of Health and Wellness to engage these professionals individually, in accordance with local labour laws.

This arrangement will remain in place for the duration of the Cuban medical professionals’ scheduled tenure in Jamaica under the programme.