Presidents Jagdeo and Castro sign cooperation agreements
- Guyanese Leader concludes official visit
President Jagdeo at the Pando Ferre Ophthalmology Institute, where he toured the facility and was given explanations by eye-care professionals about the procedures used and the operations. (OP photo)
President Jagdeo at Mariana Hemingway, which is where the ‘Miracle Mission’ is hosted for Guyanese patients receiving eye care in Cuba. (OP photo)
The Head of State at a power station in Cuba, where officials demonstrated how Cuba saves energy through conservation. (OP photo)
Guyana and Cuban strengthen their relations! Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Fidel Castro finalising agreements of enhanced cooperation on which they later affixed their signatures while members of their delegations look on. (OP photo)
The Head of State with Guyanese eye-care patients in Cuba. (OP photo)
Guyana and Cuban strengthen their relations! Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Fidel Castro finalising agreements of enhanced cooperation on which they later affixed their signatures while members of their delegations look on. (OP photo)
The Guyanese leader at a polyclinic in Cuba, where he toured the facility and was given explanations by eye-care professionals about the procedures used and the operations. (OP photo)
Georgetown, GINA, February 04, 2006
Guyana and Cuba have heightened their relations with Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Fidel Castro affixing their signatures on enhanced cooperation agreements.
President Jagdeo left Guyana for Cuba on February 1, accompanied by Minister of Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford, Director of Budget Dr. Ashni Singh, Director of Regional Health Services Dr. Bheri Ramsarran and Director of Protocol at the Office of the President Col. Francis Abrahams.
The Cuban President and Ministers welcomed the Guyanese Head of State and team at the José Martí International Airport.
At the terminal itself, President Jagdeo spoke in favour of strengthening bilateral relations and thanked Cuba for its cooperation, particularly in the areas of health and education.
During a brief exchange with the media, President Castro, said that beyond protocols, this would be a time of intensive work to the benefit of both peoples.
On the Cuban side, other participants were José Ramón Balaguer, Minister of Public Health; Ricardo Cabrisas, Government Minister; Marta Lomas, Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation; Manuel Aguilera, acting Foreign Minister; and Carlos Valenciaga, member of the Council of State.
President Jagdeo and Castro and their delegations had full discussions that later saw the leaders browsing agreements that they subsequently signed at the Palace of the Revolution.
The existing cooperation between both countries covers diverse sectors, including public health, agriculture, forestry, construction, scientific research, civil aviation, fishing, foreign trade, culture, education and sports.
Prior to leaving for Cuba, President Jagdeo indicated that he would be procuring medical services from Cuba, since the country boasts a high level of expertise. President Jagdeo’s visit to Cuba was at the invitation of the Cuban President when they met for the CARICOM/Cuba meeting in Barbados in December 2005. The duo had discussions about several initiatives using Cuban professionals and equipment to bolster medical services in Guyana. However, since time did not permit detailed discussions on the initiatives, it was agreed that President Jagdeo would travel to Cuba.
Some of the initiatives will be financed totally by the Cuban government as a gesture of goodwill, while others would be procured by the Guyana Government. President Jagdeo was also expected to further discussions on the establishment of an eye clinic here to conduct surgeries. Guyanese currently travel to Cuba for surgeries under the “Miracle mission” that began in 2005 under the auspices of the Cuban government.
This was President Jagdeo's fourth visit to the island. On October 2001, the President paid his first official visit at the invitation of President Fidel Castro.
While in Cuba, President Jagdeo attended a dinner hosted in honour by the Mr. Carlos Lage Davila, Vice President of the Council of State of Cuba. He also visited Mariana Hemingway, where the ‘Miracle Mission’ is hosted for Guyanese patients receiving eye care. There, he interacted with many of the patients and was given a tour of the facility.
He then visited a polyclinic and the Pando Ferre Ophthalmology Institute, where similar exercises were conducted.
The Head of State was also at a power station, where officials demonstrated Cuba’s energy conservation efforts. President Jagdeo has indicated to President Castro that he will be sending an official from the Guyana Power and Light Company so that he can have a first hand look at the operations, since fuel cost is heavy in Guyana.
Guyana and Cuba established diplomatic relations on December 8, 1972. The two countries share a long mutual bilateral relationship which has been characterised by many exchanges at the government level and cooperation under the aegis of the Guyana/Cuba Joint Commission.
Guyana and Cuba engage in other agreements for bilateral cooperation, including one for Visa Abolition, which caters for Diplomatic, Official and Service Passports. The two countries also actively cooperate under the CARICOM/Cuba Joint Commission and in several other regional and multilateral fora.
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Massive boost for health sector following President’s visit to Cuba
- 965 scholarships offered to Guyanese
Guyana and Cuban strengthen their relations! Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Fidel Castro finalising agreements of enhanced cooperation on which they later affixed their signatures while members of their delegations look on. (OP photo)
The Guyanese leader at a polyclinic in Cuba, where he toured the facility and was given explanations by eye-care professionals about the procedures used and the operations. (OP photo)
Georgetown, GINA, February 04, 2006
Guyana’s 34-year-old relationship with Cuba has deepened with its cooperation bearing enormous benefits that amount to tens of millions of United States (US) dollars.
A state-of-the-art ophthalmology centre, diagnostic centres, 965 scholarships for Guyanese, more doctors, specialists for the sugar industry, and instructors for local medical programmes are some of the benefits to be derived from President Bharrat Jagdeo’s visit to the Spanish-speaking island from February 1-3. Guyana would also benefit in the area of energy conservation.
“This is going to have a major impact on health care delivery in Guyana with the injection of this large number of professionals, as well as the improvement in the facilities available for taking care of our people…we are looking at the health sector in a comprehensive way,” the President remarked. He added that while human resource is being developed, Guyana would offer cardiac services by the end of March.
President Jagdeo and Cuban President Fidel Castro affixed their signatures on agreements that would see these to fruition at the Palace of the Revolution.
At a media conference at State House today, President Bharrat Jagdeo reported on his visit that began with the Cuban President and Ministers receiving him at the José Martí International Airport and hosting bilateral discussions.
“The talks were fruitful, excellent and I wish to thank the Cuban government for the support they have given us through the years, especially the health sector, the support they have given to the Caribbean region and their health systems. In fact, in some of these countries the health system is held together by Cuban professionals for example in Haiti, in which Cuba has over 500 doctors,” the President said.
The discussions, President Jagdeo said focused mainly on the health sector and energy conservation.
Scholarships:
The Cuban government has offered 715 scholarships for Guyanese to pursue medicine in Cuba over the next five years.
According to President Jagdeo, 315 students would be selected to start the September 2006 semester, while 100 students would be sent annually for the next four years. There are already more than 300 Guyanese studying in Cuba, about 120 of whom are in the medical field, 90 in engineering and 30 in agriculture.
“They are going to set up a special faculty in Cuba for Guyanese alone so they can all study on the same campus,” the President said.
Additionally, 250 scholarships were offered for the disciplines of agriculture and engineering. Twenty-five each would be allotted to students of the two disciplines annually for the next five years.
“We need more vets if we are going to develop a livestock industry in the country,” he added.
Guyana ’s first ophthalmology centre
The Cubans have agreed to establish an ophthalmology centre in Guyana and the Guyana Government has indicated that the Port Mourant hospital would be converted into that centre. The equipment and staff would be provided by the Cuban government. Some of the services offered at the hospital would be retained, but the centre would be expanded to accommodate the ophthalmology services. A specialist would be here in a few weeks’ time to start the conversion process.
“ Cuba has given us the commitment that even though the centre would have state-of-the-art equipment at this point in time, that now and in the future it would always have the best technology in the world,” the President said.
Reflecting on his visit to the Cuban ophthalmology centre, President Jagdeo expressed awe over their facility. He said that their technology ranks with the developed countries’, including Germany and Japan.
The centre would render services to Guyanese free of charge, as well as to citizens from other countries, particularly Surinamese.
During the latter half of last year Guyanese patients began accessing health care in Cuba, and to date more than 2,000 Guyanese have had eye surgeries, mainly for cataract, through the ‘Miracle Mission’.
“I am very grateful to the Cuban Government for this centre because it would allow us to perform operations on thousands of others at a cheaper cost and more conveniently for Guyanese,” he said.
It is estimated that the center would have a capacity to exceed 10,000 surgeries yearly. The specialists to operate the centre would be provided by the Cuban government and would be residents here.
Diagnostic & treatment centres
Government has agreed to purchase equipment worth US$1.2M to furnish four diagnostic and treatment centres that would be established by the Cubans, who would provide 27 specialists and technicians for each of the four centres over a five-year period. However, government would provide a $40,000 monthly stipend and accommodation.
“The Cuban government would provide the state-of-the-art equipment at a minimum cost…these comprehensive centres would have 24 hours of service with guaranteed comprehensive medical care for the patient including complementary tests for diagnosis,” the President said.
Services in hematology, x-ray, and intensive care, surgical and ultra-sound would be offered.
The locations of the centres are yet to be determined, but the idea, the President said, is to improve regional services, as well as in areas with dense population so as to reduce the burden from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
More doctors
President Castro has agreed to send 20 doctors to be stationed across Guyana as soon as government can provide accommodation. This, President Jagdeo said is in response to residents’ calls for doctors during his outreaches throughout the country. There is a Cuban medical brigade in Guyana and government pays their salaries and provides accommodation. With this new initiative, Guyana only stands the cost of accommodation and a stipend. Among the communities to benefit are Black Bush Polder, Moruca, Port Kaituma, Paramakatoi, Kamarang, Annai, Linden, Enterprise, Enmore, Lusignan, Nabaclis, East Bank Demerara, Skeldon and Rosignol.
“Every region in Guyana will benefit from either the services provided by the comprehensive treatment centres or these doctors who are coming in. These are all going to happen immediately in the case of the doctors and in a matter of three months in the case of the centre,” the President said.
The specialists working at these centres would also train Guyanese, with the idea of eventually taking over from them.
President Jagdeo explained that it would probably cost Guyana, at the minimum about US$60,000 to train a doctor in the United States.
“So you just do the mathematics and you would see what it means and if all we have to do to get a specialist or a doctor is to pay them $40,000 Guyana per month as a stipend, imagine what the true cost is,” he said.
Training for nurses
Guyana is hoping to train an additional 2000 nurses and 200 medexes to accommodate its five-year health plan. The Cuban government’s help was sought to provide nursing instructors.
“They have asked us to specify the number of people we need and the specialised areas we need them in and they would start examining the possibility of helping us in this area,’ he said.
Sugar industry & energy conservation
The possibilities of hiring Cuban technicians for the sugar industry, particularly in areas where they have shortages, as well as Cuban assistance in the area of energy were discussed.
“They have agreed to share their experience and help us in these areas,” the President said.
President Jagdeo left Guyana for Cuba on February 1, accompanied by Minister of Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford, Director of Budget Dr. Ashni Singh, Director of Regional Health Services Dr. Bheri Ramsarran and Director of Protocol at the Office of the President Col. Francis Abrahams.
Discussions were held with President Castro, José Ramón Balaguer, Minister of Public Health; Ricardo Cabrisas, Government Minister; Marta Lomas, Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation; Manuel Aguilera, acting Foreign Minister; and Carlos Valenciaga, member of the Council of State.
While in Cuba, President Jagdeo attended a dinner hosted in his honour and visited Mariana Hemingway, where the ‘Miracle Mission’ is hosted for Guyanese patients receiving eye care. He also visited a polyclinic, the Pando Ferre Ophthalmology Institute and a power station, where officials demonstrated Cuba’s energy conservation efforts.
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