Cuba to send over 20 medics to work at Georgetown

MORE THAN 20 Cuban medical specialists are expected to arrive in St Vincent and the Grenadines in the next few days to take up employment at the ‘Modern Medical Complex’ at Georgetown.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves made this disclosure on April 19, during a ceremony to commemorate the 208th anniversary of Independence of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

During his remarks at the flag hoisting ceremony which was held at the Venezuelan Embassy at Richmond Hill, Gonsalves congratulated newly elected Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel, the first leader of that country elected outside of the Castro family in over 60 years.

Diaz-Canel was formally elected President that same day, after a two-day election of the National Assembly. He won by a landslide, as he was the only individual nominated for the position.

Gonsalves reaffirmed the strength of the Cuban – St Vincent and the Grenadines relationship.

“Yesterday in Cuba, very important decision was taken, an election, to elect a successor to president Raul Castro. I want through this medium, and I will send a formal communication, to congratulate the new president of Cuba, His Excellency Miguel Diaz-Canel, whom I know as Comrade Miguel. I look forward to strengthening further the relations between the governments of Cuba and of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. And to show you that the fraternal relations remain, that in a few days, 21 or 22 Cuban medical specialists would be arriving in St Vincent and the Grenadines, to work out at what is called the Modern Medical Complex,” he said.

Raul Castro, who is 86 years old, was elected in 2006, having succeeded his brother Fidel, who ruled from 1959. Raul is due to retire from the presidency immediately and is expected to work closely with his 57-year-old successor.

The ‘Modern Medical Complex’ was built and equipped at a cost of about $22 million, financed principally by the National Insurance Services (which contributed roughly $11 million) and the Central Government of SVG. The Republic of Cuba donated human and technical resources for the construction phase of the project and also made material donations of medical equipment.

PRIME MINISTER DR Ralph Gonsalves