Guyana will work with US to address Cuban labour restrictions – Jagdeo

While some regional leaders have taken strong public positions against the United States restrictions on Cuban labour, Guyana will be addressing the matter through diplomacy.

This position was emphasised by Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday.

“We don’t do diplomacy in the public and I believe we have a strong engagement with the Trump administration and with the State Department that would allow this mater to be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties,” he said during his weekly press conference at Freedom House.

The United States has expanded an existing Cuba-related visa restriction policy that targets forced labour linked to the Cuban labour export programme. US media reported that the programme 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.’

In Guyana, Cuban medical professionals work in several public and private hospitals.

Jagdeo had previously expressed that Cuban medical missions have benefited the region for decades and that Guyana would take a regional approach in dealing with the matter

On Thursday, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley says she is prepared to have her United States visa revoked as she urged CARICOM countries to defend the Cuban health brigade programme. Other leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago prime ministers have also expressed their support for the Cuban programme.

Jagdeo noted that leaders in the region will be engaging US authorities on the issue.

“We want to have Cuban health professionals work in our health system. They have an invaluable to our health system but we also want to ensure that they have free choice,” he noted.