The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration will not renew the contracts of 31 Cuban teachers ahead of the new school year, while the recruitment of Cuban medical personnel remains on hold amid continuing talks with US officials over the status of Cuban healthcare workers in The Bahamas.

The decisions mark the latest changes involving Cuban workers as the administration navigates US concerns about Cuba’s overseas labour programmes.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville told The Tribune yesterday that negotiations with US officials over Cuban healthcare professionals are continuing and said officials will meet Cuban Ambassador Juan Carlos Marcof Sánchez on Monday to discuss the way forward.

However, The Tribune understands that the Public Hospitals Authority has also not extended contracts for Cuban medical workers except those with legal status or who are married to Bahamians.

The medical discussions remain unresolved as 31 Cuban teachers prepare to leave The Bahamas after learning this week that they will not be re-engaged.

The Ministry of Education confirmed the decision yesterday, acknowledging that some of the teachers wanted to return but stressing that re-engagement was never guaranteed.

The ministry said the affected teachers would be given sufficient time to conclude their personal affairs before leaving the country.

“Our priority continues to be the recruitment and engagement of qualified Bahamian educators,” the ministry said. “Those efforts have been extremely fruitful, and to date we have engaged a significant number of new Bahamian teachers for the public school system. Recruitment remains ongoing.”

The developments come against sustained pressure from the United States over Cuba’s international labour programmes.

The US has described Cuba’s overseas labour programme as forced labour, alleging that the Cuban government uses coercive measures to control workers deployed abroad and takes most of their earnings. Cuba has rejected those allegations.

Last year, the US expanded visa restrictions targeting officials it said were connected to Cuba’s overseas medical programme.

The Davis administration subsequently ended its contractual arrangements with Cuba’s state-run medical recruitment agency and sought instead to employ Cuban healthcare professionals directly if they wished to remain in The Bahamas.

Those arrangements have yet to be finalised as discussions with US officials continue, and recruitment of additional Cuban medical personnel has been suspended.

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell declined yesterday to say whether US concerns influenced the administration’s latest decisions.

The decision involving teachers has meanwhile drawn criticism over how the Cuban educators were informed and concerns about possible staffing gaps.

A Cuban teacher, speaking anonymously, said the teachers learned their contracts would not be renewed during a meeting at Breezes shortly after arriving in The Bahamas.

Central Grand Bahama MP Frazette Gibson said the teachers should have been given advance notice and raised concerns that their departure could disrupt existing programmes.

She said the Cuban teachers worked in specialised areas including welding, agriculture and other technical disciplines.

The Ministry of Education acknowledged concerns about possible staffing shortages but said Bahamian teachers remain its first priority.

Where vacancies cannot be filled by qualified Bahamians, the ministry said it would consider recruiting foreign teachers to meet those needs.

“We remain grateful for the service provided by all educators who have contributed to our public education system,” the ministry said.