Opposition Spokesperson on foreign affairs Senator Donna Scott-Mottley is calling on the Government to provide a full and detailed explanation to the Jamaican people regarding its decision to terminate the long-standing medical cooperation arrangement between Jamaica and Cuba.

In a statement on Saturday (March 7), the People’s National Party (PNP) shadow minister argued that the sudden conclusion of a partnership that has endured for 50 years raises serious questions that the Government must address.

Portfolio minister Kamina Johnson Smith, responding to questions raised at the Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House of Representatives on Thursday, said that the agreement’s cancellation stemmed from an ‘inability of both governments to finalise new terms under a revised cooperation framework’.

She also acknowledged ‘concerns’ raised by the Donald Trump administration over the Cuban medical mission’s presence in Jamaica, but dismissed any US influence on the government’s decision to axe the programme.

The Cuban foreign ministry, however, paints a wholly different picture and claims the Andrew Holness administration capitulated to demands from Washington to the detriment of the Jamaican people.

“Cuba regrets the decision by the Jamaican government to cease medical cooperation, yielding to pressure from the US. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba reports that, on March 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Jamaica informed our embassy of the unilateral decision of its government to terminate the health cooperation agreement that has linked both nations for decades,” read in part a Friday statement.

“With this action, the Jamaican government is giving in to pressure from the United States government, which is not concerned about the health needs of its Caribbean brothers. Cuba deeply regrets that a history of fruitful and sustained collaboration, which has brought countless benefits to the Jamaican people, is being belittled in this way, as they are now being deprived of receiving the basic and specialised health services provided by Cuban collaborators,” the ministry added.

Scott-Mottley argued that for five decades, the programme has been an established part of Jamaica’s
healthcare system, with Cuban doctors and other medical professionals serving in hospitals and clinics across the island and helping to fill critical gaps in medical staffing.

“An arrangement that has supported Jamaica’s healthcare system for half a century cannot simply come to an abrupt end without the Jamaican people being given a clear and comprehensive account of what has led to that outcome,” she said.

The opposition spokesperson noted that the Jamaican public must also be informed of the practical implications of the decision and the steps being taken to ensure that healthcare services remain adequately supported.

“The country must be assured that there are clear and effective plans in place to maintain continuity of care, particularly in facilities where Cuban medical professionals have been providing important services,” she added.

Senator Scott-Mottley emphasised that transparency is essential when decisions of this magnitude are taken.

“This is a matter that goes directly to the functioning of our healthcare system and the well-being of the Jamaican people. The government has a duty to provide clarity on both the reasons for this decision and the arrangements that will now replace a partnership that has served the country for five decades,” she
said.