BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Caribbean Community (Caricom) foreign ministers have been told that the United States (US) Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is expected to travel to the Caribbean region before the end of March for discussions on several issues affecting Caricom relations with the US.

Last Sunday, US Special Envoy for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mauricio Claver-Carone, met in Washington with representatives from Barbados, the Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica. St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Informed sources told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that while the regional representatives were informed of the pending visit of Rubio, no specific date or countries to be visited had been disclosed.

According to the sources the meeting discussed a wide range of issues from Washington’s recent announcement regarding the Cuban health brigade system to energy and economic development as well as Haiti’s security and stability.

Caricom countries have defended the Cuban health programme which they say have benefitted the region significantly even as Rubio announced recently that Washington would be expanding an existing Cuba-related visa restriction policy that targets forced labour linked to the Cuban labour export programme.

“This expanded policy applies to current or former Cuban government officials, and other individuals, including foreign government officials, who are believed to be responsible for, or involved in, the Cuban labour export programme, particularly Cuba’s overseas medical missions,” Rubio said then.

The Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago prime ministers have publicly expressed their support for the Cuban programme, while Grenada’s Foreign Minister Affairs Minister, Joseph Andall said St George’s not only has a “legal, moral and ethical” obligation to stand by the people of Cuba but that it should avoid being opportunistic or transactional as it pertains to the relations between the two countries”.

“Cuba continues to be a trustworthy friend and partner not only of Grenada, not only of the Caribbean but of people the world over.  When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Cuban doctors went as far as Italy to provide services, I did not hear anybody talk about human trafficking and things like that,” Andall told the Parliament on Tuesday during the country’s national budget debate.

According to the sources, during the meeting on Sunday, Claver-Carone explained that Washington was interested in promoting an opportunity for Cuban medical personnel to independently earn and sell their services and to enjoy the rights enjoyed by other Caricom workers under International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and other international best practices.

The sources said that the envoy explained that the US action was not only targeting the Caricom member states “but was a global approach” pointing out that the US response was also targeting Italy and Qatar.

“The discussion focused on ensuring that Cuban doctors have the same rights as citizens, despite restrictions from their governments,” the sources said, even as Caricom criticised US policies towards Cuba, advocating for labour rights and international norms.

“The discussion highlighted the need for fair negotiations and financial transaction models,” the sources said, adding that the meeting also discussed the ongoing Cuba and economic situation “touching on the struggles faced by the Cuban people and the need for a transition towards normalcy”.

The discussions on Haiti, where criminal gangs have been seeking to overthrow the government since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, centred on the security challenges in the French-speaking Caricom country.

The sources said the discussions emphasised the need for international support to equip the Haitian National Police and address gang-related issues.

Claver-Carone is reported to have said that the Donald Trump administration would continue the Biden Administration policy on Haiti, even as he noted that in the complex situation, Caricom had credibility in its engagement with Haiti and that the United States would not be supportive of any policy which would see Haiti sink further into becoming a failed state run by gangs.

The sources said that the special envoy also committed to transmitting Haiti’s requests for support to the transition to an elected authority and the need for adaptive equipment to match the strength of the equipment in the hands of the gangs.

With regards to Venezuela and regional stability, the sources told CMC that the meeting decided that the “focus should be on proactive policies, particularly in economic and energy sectors”.

The sources said that the meeting ended with the need for a “solid and open line of communication” between Caricom and the US to ensure progress and address issues effectively.