Jamaica’s government has formally attributed the termination of its five-decade medical cooperation agreement with Cuba to fundamental violations of national law and international labor standards. The breakdown occurred after a comprehensive review by Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade identified systemic issues that Havana ultimately refused to rectify through renegotiated terms.
The investigation revealed two primary concerns: Cuban medical personnel were systematically denied possession of their own passports, and compensation arrangements violated basic labor principles. While Jamaican authorities calculated salaries at parity with local medical professionals, these payments were directed to the Cuban government in U.S. dollars rather than to the individual doctors. Only overtime payments were disbursed directly to personnel, with no transparent accounting for what portion of their base salaries they actually received.
Jamaican officials emphasized that despite these contractual deficiencies, Cuban medical workers were treated well regarding accommodation, leave entitlements, and freedom of movement. The government acted promptly to address the passport issue by engaging both immigration authorities and Cuban officials to ensure workers could hold their travel documents.
Following months of unsuccessful renegotiation attempts—including Jamaica’s proposal to pay medical workers directly—Cuba unilaterally withdrew its medical brigade from the island. Jamaica expressed disappointment at this decision, noting that the requested terms aligned with agreements Cuba has accepted with other Caribbean nations.