Kamla: Rowley, Young may have to 'flee country' over Maduro dealings

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the Prime Minister’s comments about not caring if he ever went back to the US were false bravado. She said he made the statement to distract from the "opening" of the “incomplete” Port of Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) central block.

On March 10, the Prime Minister said, “Out of the blue now, we have been called human traffickers because we hire technical people who we pay top dollar, equal to local rates. We are now being accused of taking part in a programme where people are being exploited.

"That’s somebody’s interpretation.

"I just came back from California, and if I never go back there again in my life, I will ensure that the sovereignty of TT is known to its people and respected by all.”

He was speaking at a completion ceremony for the central block, which will open to patients in July.

In a statement on March 11, Persad-Bissessar said Rowley threw out the Cuban comments to distract from the “humiliating fact that he was opening an incomplete, over-budget, over-time construction site.

“The hospital block is incomplete, lacks most equipment and cannot accept patients. I am calling on Rowley and Udecott to give the media a full tour of the entire hospital block, every single floor.”

She said the country should be employing local healthcare workers rather than hiring foreigners.

“We have hundreds of local doctors, nurses, medical technicians who are unemployed and hundreds on short-term contracts. We should be putting our people first. Our first priority should be creating jobs for local medical personnel because we spend billions in subventions, Gate and scholarships to educate them.”

Persad-Bissessar said Rowley was “uneasy, shifty and fidgety” while making his remarks.

“He and (Energy Minister Stuart) Young have to answer to US authorities regarding their dealings with narco-trafficking Maduro. They may soon have to flee the country.”

Rowley was responding to remarks made by US Secretary of State Marc Rubio's statement about restricting US visas of government officials whose countries employ Cuban healthcare workers.

On February 25, via media release, Rubio said, "Today, we announce the expansion of an existing Cuba-related visa restriction policy that targets forced labour linked to the Cuban labour export programme.

"This expanded policy applies to current or former Cuban government officials, and other individuals, including foreign government officials, who are believed to be responsible for, or involved in, the Cuban labour export programme, particularly Cuba’s overseas medical missions."

On March 10, Resolution 205 was introduced to the US Congress in support of Rubio’s statement under the title “denouncing the human trafficking and forced labour of and profiteering from Cuban medical personnel serving in third-world countries.”

Other Caribbean leaders have condemned the move by the US, saying Cuban assistance in the medical field is important regionally.

On March 5, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves defended the Cuban health brigade programme on his weekly radio programme on the state-owned NBC radio.

In an article in SVG’s iWitness News, Gonsalves was quoted as making reference to the Haemodialysis Unit at the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Complex which is overseen by professionals from Cuba.

“There are 60 persons there on haemodialysis, 60 ordinary Vincentians. They’re getting the haemodialysis free, but the point where I’m going to, is, if the Cubans are not there, we may not be able to run the service. Must I allow 60 persons to die?

“Well, people know me. If I giving them dialysis free, they would know what decision that I will take. I will prefer to lose my visa than to have 60 poor and working people die.”

On February 28, Guyana's Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said, according to an article on Cuba’s Foreign Affairs Ministry website, "The Cuban medical presence in the Caribbean has been there for a very, very long time and has transcended several US administrations. It has had some positive impact on healthcare delivery across the region.

“This is a regional issue. It transcends political administrations and a long period of history. It will affect every country in our region, every single country – not just in Caricom, but many other countries around the world.”

According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica’s foreign minister Kamina Johnson Smith said at a media briefing on March 4 that the Jamaican government was concerned about the move.

“Jamaica has had quite a long history of participation in the Cuban medical co-operation programme, and in fact, that is replicated throughout the Caribbean, so the statement has been received with some concern.

“We have over 400 participants from the Cuban medical programme at different levels – doctors, nurses, biomedical engineers, and technicians – so their presence here is of importance to our healthcare system.”