St Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre said Monday that there are no plans to immediately withdraw St. Lucian medical students currently studying in Cuba, seeking to quell public concern sparked by his recent remarks on the impact of the United States’ embargo on the island.
Speaking at a Cabinet press briefing, Pierre told reporters that students enrolled in Cuban medical programmes will be allowed to continue their studies. “The students, those who are in Cuba, will continue to be in Cuba,” he said. “There’s no imminent withdrawal of students.”
Alarm had arisen after comments Pierre made last week during the Second World Congress on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, where he raised concerns about the long-term effects of the U.S. embargo on Cuba, including medical scholarship programmes that have trained generations of Caribbean doctors.
“Many of our doctors got trained in Cuba, and now the great United States said we can’t do that any longer,” Pierre said at the congress. “I have a major issue on my hands.”
Those remarks triggered widespread public reaction and anxiety among students and families, particularly given the importance of Cuban-trained doctors to Saint Lucia’s healthcare system.
Addressing the issue again on Monday, Pierre said his government is monitoring the situation closely and taking a proactive approach amid heightened geopolitical tensions. “As you know, with the whole embargo—last week President Trump declared Cuba a threat to American security—so we’re just being proactive,” he said.
The prime minister also acknowledged Saint Lucia’s efforts to maintain strong diplomatic relations with Washington while safeguarding national interests. “We are friends with the American government, we have an excellent relationship with them, we have to protect our students [and] our health services,” Pierre said. “It will be a tremendous loss to us if Cuban doctors can no longer come to Saint Lucia.”
Pierre noted that his administration is also examining alternative options to strengthen the country’s healthcare system should access to Cuban medical training or personnel become restricted.
“Saint Lucia will be exploring different possibilities—Nigeria, Ghana, Mexico, Brazil—all these countries we’re going to be approaching them to see how they can support us if push really comes to shove,” he said. “But the issue is now we have to prepare for the eventuality.”
