COMMENTARY: The US Ultimatum To Caribbean Countries

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Audley Phillip

by  Audley Phillip – The United States have reportedly put Caribbean Governments  on notice – stop recruiting Cuban doctors and nurses or else.   

Should Caribbean countries not  comply, it could result in  sanctions and visa restrictions  to those countries

Several Caribbean countries look to Cuba in order to fill chronic vacancies within their healthcare system  and this could be a huge blow to them.

It was  recently reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio  made the US position known to a number of Caricom countries.So why is the United States trying to dictate the Caribbean foreign policy.

We are losing doctors and nurses to the US almost on a daily basis and yet they want to tell us that we should not seek replacement from Cuba. What kind of heavy handed business is this?

The last time I checked, Caribbean countries were sovereign nations and they have a right in determining who they talk to and who they invite to their countries. 

I am fed up of the US high handed approach to everything.  

Whilst the United States might have a problem with Cuba, Cuba remains and  continues to be a friend to most Caribbean countries.

I  really want to see how our  regional governments  approach this subject.  I guess we might soon  be forced to quit sending students to Cuba to study as well.

What are we really coming to!

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11 COMMENTS

  7. Easy to write about taking stands. All of our food comes via ships from Miami. Most of our tourists come from the US. More than half of the Antigua population were born in the US as it is still popular to birth children there so they can get a US passport. So much for Antiguan professed patriotism. So we can’t rock no boats. What ever Trump says we either keep quiet or agree. And look at Guyana. They will depend on the US to stop Venezuela seizing a big part of that country. Most of the OECS countries are in Maduro’s pocket. Do you think Guyana will do anything to offend Trump?

  8. This arm chair analyst should probably engage more with the topic in reading and researching rather than typing anything that comes to his mind. Geopolitics and diplomacy isn’t as simple and superficial as he presents.

  9. Back to the future: “Now the Trump administration is targeting the government’s signature medical brigades, urging U.S. allies to cancel their health cooperation agreements and send their Cuban doctors packing.” see The U.S. is pushing Latin American allies to send their Cuban doctors packing — and several have January 21, 2020, Washington Post. Under Biden the US went as far as designating the Cuban medical brig-aid as forced labor hence human trafficking. Our diplomats need to make clear to the US that their policy re CUBA makes no sense considering their considered policy to Russia. It may be harder now considering the roots of the secretary of state, but its his boss who makes the decisions. Make the argument that the present situation does not make America safer and has only hardened the Cuban stance. Point out the costs to our nations if we accede to their ultimatum.

  11. Thank you, A Diplomat for addressing our arm- chair analysts. This particular one, like many of sideline, nonthinkers would no doubt see this as a government-provoked problem, and excitedly wish for gtanf social upheaval “hoping” this and “hoping” that, BY the time they drag their lazy minds to understand the realities of current world geopolitics, it will be too late for ALL of us

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