DBSTV/Saint Lucia will no longer send students to Cuba to study medicine, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre confirmed, citing mounting pressure from the United States that has upended longstanding regional arrangements.
Speaking at the Second World Congress on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, Pierre said the shift is unprecedented but unavoidable given the changing geopolitical climate. For decades, Cuban medical scholarships have been a key pathway for training Caribbean doctors, including many from Saint Lucia.
The move has left prospective medical students uncertain about their options and raised concerns about the future supply of locally trained physicians. Pierre said the decision was not taken lightly, but the government has limited room to maneuver as it seeks to protect broader diplomatic and economic interests.
He urged the St. Lucian diaspora—particularly medical professionals abroad—to provide support, mentorship and investment, while calling for alternative solutions such as partnerships with other international medical schools, expanded regional collaboration and stronger domestic training pathways.
Health sector stakeholders are assessing the potential impact on hospital staffing and long-term capacity, warning that delays in policy adjustments could further strain the system. Government officials said details on replacement programmes and transitional arrangements for affected students will be announced in the coming weeks.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Mr Prime Minister, you are a jackass. Would America give your people scholarships to study there without any harassment. What’s the alternative? Caricom has gone to naught, nothing, nada, zero. If there were unity among the Caribbean states, that would never happen. We would stand up to Orangutan Donald Trump and his shittyness and his disdain for Caribbean people.You and the others who are planning to do the same, need to be fired. Allyo are weak and are only thinking about your rubber pockets. Murders, rapes robberies etc are going to be increased because, when persons have no means of income, WHAT then? You have no other alternative than to cower understand Trump and his dictatorial BS. Where there’s no vision, people are going to suffer, BIG time!
Now there’s some honesty coming from a leader at last. Many had suspected that the US administration had put undue pressure on Caribbean countries to remove Cuban medical practitioners.
We all thought this at the time, but our own Prime Minister Gaston Browne wouldn’t directly come out and say so.
There’s an Antiguan Proverb that aptly says:
“Remember, if you see oil ah float, watch your backside, because a little evidence can tell the whole story”
Antigua next and watch the PM spin it and say the med School over Jabberwock better anyway
Quite Pathetic, why don’t we just apply to England to be recolognized, that would give us the protection of the crown.
Wow!
What’s next!?
Please, let’s get our hearts in check!
So what is greedy America offering. This is like taking bread from a poor man’s mouth and replacing it with salt. It would be good if these gutless prime ministers can tell us the consequences if we don’t bow to the selfish demands of America. America’s problems with Cuba is not a problem for Caricom this is a problem that was created by America and must be owned by America. St. Lucia must not wait for the order to come from Washington, they could be proactive and cut diplomatic ties with Cuba immediately…what a bunch of jokers.
If Caricom leaders are not getting the derectives from the people who puts them in the position it’s not a true representation, so decisions influences by the USA will not go down well, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” now deviding CARICOM STATES, then dictate which is unacceptable, what happens to sovereignty, the right to choose, we have survived without those big powers before and will survive unwards but we can’t be seen to be supportive of the evil act of America against states who don’t accepted their dictates.
The only thing that will result from the USA dictates is world War 3. The USA going all around the globe picking fights all under the disguise of peace.
This is sad. See the impact one man is having on our islands
UNGRATEFULNESS WUS DAN DUTTEE WITCHCRAFT/OBEAH.
It’s the same Cuban medical brigade that just about saved you UNGRATEFUL PUTAS during the same US led CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC coordinated by the American Dr. Fauci, WHO and PAHO that would have decimated your people and economy. Where was the American Medical Brigade or contingents then?
Wait…. we all knew this but we chose to make this all about Antigua and CIP blah blah blah. Oh what hypocrites we are. Only now that somewhere else is experiencing the same thing that we believe?
What will be the excuse now? The Cuban teachers are being forced to teach under pain of death? Just gimme a break.
The US is starving and choking Cuba for oil and have literally cut off all their oil supplies which will inevitably plunge the country in darkness and the US is plotting take over the country along with Cuban dissidents. As we see here, St. Lucia has already pull out their medical students from there under pressure from the US and Antiguan students and others are asking their country’s government to rescue them. Very soon no foreign student would be in Cuba as the situation and conditions in Cuba deteriorates rapidly. The situation in Cuba is dire and almost unlivable and it is just a matter of time before it collapse under pressure. Venezuela…..Cuba. what’s next?
This is a consequence of our reliance on the Americans. Trump
s admin is disgusting as hell.
Antigua please stop saying that we are friends of ALL and enemies of NONE. Because under Trump America is showing it’s real character. They determine who are your friends and who are your enemies. And when Prime Ministers get up every year in the United Nation and call out the US to stop the embargo against Cuba and Venezuela, this too will come to an end. We will go there and sit quietly and hold out mouth about these things. And woo be unto to him that will have the balls to say anything against the USA. The next economic embargo is on them. That’s the way of the world. You either accept it or feel the wrath of the bully. Might is Right. And their will be no one to come to our assistance. Venezuela has just found out the hard way. We took the USA to WTO and won our case but still cannot get our justice.
This only shows that we are powerless. That our Prime Ministers and their cabinets are useless. That the Trinidadian Prime Minister made the right choice , as selfish as it may seem. There is no such thing an institution called Caricom, or CCJ. The super power determining what is lawful and what is not. So our leaders are not signing away unconstitutionally our sovereignty, without consulting the masses. Why ? Show me a Caribbean leader that doesn’t have a US account or use the US banking system to transfer corrupt money. It is believed that most of them have to obey or go to prison. The only Caribbean prime minister that I trust is Barbados Prime minister.
They rest is on a choke hold to save their own lives. The son of a PM owns a Mall in the USA . When the Russian billionaire has exposed our PM finances to the US court system. Then what do you expect.
Comments are closed.