Saint Lucia supports medical cooperation from Cuba

The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J. Pierre, acknowledged the importance of Cuban medical cooperation and denied accusations of alleged labor trafficking, local media reported today.

In a meeting with the press, the digital weekly Saint Lucia Times reported how the president ratified the role of the Cuban medical brigade for the country’s health system, and stated that ‘Our medical structure would collapse if they were not here’.

The Caribbean leader confirmed the receipt of a note from the U.S. government on alleged trafficking of slave labor in reference to Cuban doctors working in that country.

The answer was simple: Cuban doctors in Saint Lucia work as professionals, receive salaries from the Government and do not have a special or different treatment than our local doctors’, he concluded.

Foreign Minister Alva Baptiste, present at the media briefing, highlighted the role of Cuban doctors in St. Lucia, particularly their crucial contribution during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Baptiste recalled the presence of Cuban health personnel in his nation since 1979, assured that they are an essential part of the health system, and clarified that the contingent was reinforced to face the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We want to thank the government and the Cuban people for providing us with that support,” the incumbent declared in a clear message in the face of the alleged accusations of the U.S. government.