Gift promises Cuban health benefits for TT

Addressing a news conference at Knowsley Building about decisions taken at last week’s Caricom-Cuba summit in Barbados, Gift said Cuba continues to be an important part of "the Caribbean family," especially through its assistance in the field of health and education. Noting that TT’s health sector has improved significantly thanks to the efforts of Cuban doctors and nurses brought in to fill critical vacancies in the sector, Gift said based on the discussions in Bridgetown, "that trend will continue."

Since the PNM returned to office in 2001, Cuban medical personnel have been an integral part of Government’s efforts to improve the local health sector. In addition to the Cubans, UN Volunteer and Filipino medical personnel (specifically nurses and pharmacists) have also been brought in to assist in certain parts of the health sector. Gift said continuing health assistance from Cuba would encompass all Caricom territories and among the major Caricom-Cuba health initiatives now in the pipeline was the establishment of an HIV/AIDS hospital in St Kitts/Nevis.

Outside of health, Gift said the November 25 passage of the Caricom (Cuba) Trade and Economic Cooperation Bill in the House of Representatives has placed TT in a good position to benefit from increased trade with Cuba. The bill allows duty-free access of goods from Caricom to Cuba and vice versa. Among the duty-free items from Cuba are vital pieces of medical and surgical equipment which could be used in local hospitals.

Gift said there is infrastructure on the ground to establish TT-Cuba finance institutions, BWIA operates regular flights from TT to Cuba, and local energy companies are currently assisting energy explorations in the Communist nation. Caricom celebrated 30 years of relations with Cuba two years ago.

Gift said he did not see Caricom "being dragged into a war" between Cuba and the United States because of these developments, and the 45-year-old US economic embargo against Cuba.

Gift said Caricom has collectively supported a United Nations resolution calling on the US to lift the embargo, every year that the resolution comes before the UN General Assembly. "Foreign policy is based on high diplomatic principles and we continue to maintain and defend those principles in whatever forum," he declared. Gift also indicated that the December 8 summit resulted in the signing of a cultural cooperation agreement between Caricom and Cuba which could see the latter’s involvement in the next Carifesta celebrations.