No verdict on Cuban medics

FORMER Health Minister Dr Hamza Rafeeq last week said he could not criticise the performance of Cuban medical personnel currently in Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking at the post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall on Thursday, Health Minister John Rahael said there are currently 41 Cuban nurses in TT and Government will be seeking to recruit a further 25 Intensive Care Unit nurses by mid-2004. There are also approximately 35 Cuban doctors currently in TT.

Speaking with Newsday on Friday, Rafeeq said he could not judge the performance of the Cubans to date because he had no information on that matter. Rahael also said Government would be trying to recruit nurses from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to fill some 1,000 vacancies in the public health sector. Rafeeq hailed that initiative but conceded it would be difficult, recalling that both he and Rahael’s immediate predecessor, Colm Imbert, had made similar attempts.