Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, is supporting Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s stance not to be intimidated into withdrawing support for Cuba’s health services.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump and Senator Marco Rubio criticised Cuba’s medical missions, labelling them as “forced labour” and threatening visa sanctions against countries employing Cuban doctors.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Port of Spain Central Block on Monday, Dr. Rowley defended Trinidad and Tobago’s right to hire Cuban health professionals.
At the UWI’s Campus Council Meeting on Tuesday morning, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles addressed the issue.
“I read the papers this morning. I saw the Prime Minister of the Republic here, Dr. Rowley, making it clear that this country will not be intimidated in respect of the support given it by the Cuban health services. And we’re being told that we have to pay a price if we continue to collaborate on a regional basis. I see the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, has said the same thing.”
Sir Hilary said the University of the West Indies has been leading from the front in terms of regional unity and partnership.
“If you go to the University of Havana right now, when you walk into the centre square of the University of Havana, you will see a building, and on that building it says ‘University of the West Indies, Centre for Sustainable Development.’ There, in Havana, in their University, we built that there, working with the government and people of Cuba, and I was honoured to go over there and pull that ribbon to inaugurate the UWI building.”