The United Progressive Party (UPP) of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a formal commendation honoring the Republic of Cuba for its decades of substantial contributions to the nation’s development. This praise specifically highlights the pivotal role of Cuban medical diplomacy, which deployed hundreds of healthcare professionals to serve the Antiguan and Barbudan populace.
A cornerstone of this bilateral cooperation was the acclaimed Eye-Care Programme, implemented during the UPP administration of former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer. This initiative provided critical ophthalmological services, delivering life-changing care to hundreds of citizens and establishing a benchmark for international medical collaboration.
Beyond healthcare, Cuba’s educational assistance program is recognized as a transformative force. The UPP emphasized that hundreds of Antiguan students received university-level training in diverse professional disciplines—opportunities that would have been financially unattainable for most families. This investment in human capital is credited with elevating numerous graduates and their families from poverty, thereby securing a more prosperous socioeconomic future.
The UPP’s statement also reflected on the profound mutual respect and affection shared between Cuban officials and party representatives, characterizing the long-term relationship as genuinely cordial and productive. A note of regret was expressed regarding the current administration’s decision to abruptly terminate this partnership, which the UPP deemed mutually beneficial. Concluding with a pledge of enduring gratitude, the party assured Cuba that its generosity, offered from its own limited resources, would remain etched in the nation’s memory and prayers.