3 weeks ago
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Health and Wellness Minister Kevin Bernard has strongly rejected claims that members of the Cuban Medical Brigade are being quietly sent home, describing the suggestion as irresponsible and untrue. The issue surfaced after People’s National Party activist Wil Maheia posted a video from the airport showing a group of Cuban nationals preparing to leave Belize with their luggage. Maheia questioned whether their departure was connected to the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Cuban Medical Brigade. Minister Bernard says the video was presented without the proper context. He explained that Cuban healthcare workers are entitled to vacation leave and travel home at different times during the year. According to the Minister, their departure should not be interpreted as evidence that Belize is gradually dismantling the programme.
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness: “And it’s so unfortunate to see somebody taking something out of context. The Cuban people who are here in Belize, they travel every year on vacation, on different time of the year. Not everybody could go on vacation at the same time and normally, it is a norm that when they go back, they will take items to their families. So for Mr. Mejia, and I will call his name, because that was very irresponsible of him, go on social media trying to paint a picture and as if it’s facts when that is far from true. These people are in our system working at this point in time. And as I said yesterday in response to the two media houses who reached out to me, there are ongoing diplomatic talks that is, when it relates to the Cuban Brigade these people continue to be employed and continue to work across our health system here in Belize and we are hoping that at the end of the day when these diplomatic talks are over we can find an amicable solution as it relates to the Cuban Brigade. But I will continue to say that we appreciate the support that the Cuban people have been giving to Belize. And there’s no truth to us sending Cubans home one by one as was Insinuated in that social media post and that’s all I’ll say about that.”
The brigade’s future has been under scrutiny as the United States continues to pressure regional governments to end their arrangements with Cuba. The US State Department has characterized Cuba’s overseas medical programme as forced labour, an allegation Belize and several other Caribbean governments have challenged. Belize has maintained that Cuban healthcare professionals working here are paid directly through the Government’s payroll system. Bernard confirmed that diplomatic discussions between Belize and Cuba remain ongoing. He says the Government is working to settle the outstanding issues and hopes to finalize the matter by the end of September.
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness: “No I believe that as I said the discussions are ongoing and I believe that Cabinet will be briefed, we will be briefed in terms of what possible solutions he will have and I’m hoping that by September, because both for the benefit of the Cuban Brigade they want assurances as well and so we need to ensure that we can solve this matter amicably and at the same time for a benefit for our Belizean people because again these are people who are here in our health system providing a service. So remember these are fluid discussions that has to be taking place and I know through the foreign ministry there’s a lot of discussion back and forth that we’re talking about talking to both the Cuban government in terms of how we will treat this program. As I I said I do want to say something that all the details that are not shared with me at this point in time but I can tell you that there have been some great discussions, both from the Cuban government, well the embassy, sorry, through the embassy and of course the Belizean government who is reaching out at the same time. And I will only say this, that again these people have been here over many years and the ones that are here right now on the program continue to be employed by the Government of Belize and continue to provide that health service that we so desperately need and to ensure that they are helping us to fill the human resource gaps across this country.”
The Government has also been exploring other sources of healthcare professionals as part of its long-term planning and preparation for any possible changes. Bernard says, however, that these efforts do not support the claim that Cuban medical personnel are currently being removed one by one. Until the diplomatic process is completed, the Cuban Medical Brigade remains active in Belize’s public healthcare system.
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