Antigua PM Calls For Push Back On US Bill Targeting Countries That Hire Cuban Health Workers

Published:Monday | June 22, 2020 | 11:52 AM

Antigua PM Calls For Push Back On US Bill Targeting Countries That Hire Cuban Health Workers

Published:Monday | June 22, 2020 | 11:52 AM


ST JOHN’S, Antigua, Jun 22, CMC – Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, is urging Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to condemn moves by the United States Senate to introduce legislation targeting Cuban healthcare workers assisting countries to deal with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The virus has so far killed 467,000 people and infected nearly nine million others worldwide.

Browne, speaking on his weekend radio programme, said that Republican Senator, Rick Scott, had recently introduced the legislation classifying Cuba’s humanitarian assistance to countries across the world as “human trafficking” and wants to extend punitive measures to countries that participate in the programme.

Among other things, the Cut Profits to the Cuban Regime Act, which was introduced last Wednesday, seeks to require the Department of State to publish a list of countries that uses government-controlled Cuban medical mission programmes and for the department to consider this as a factor when ranking countries in its annual Trafficking in Persons report.

CARICOM countries including Antigua have benefited from Havana’s assistance and Browne described the move by Scott and his colleagues Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, who have reportedly accused the Cuban government of participating in human trafficking, as “extremely unfortunate”.

More:
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200622/antigua-pm-calls-push-back-us-bill-targeting-countries-hire-cuban-health

Also posted in LBN:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142520922