NASSAU, Bahamas – The Bahamas and the Republic of Cuba signed a Basic Framework Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation in the areas of health, education and other expertise in future projects to be undertaken by The Bahamas.
The signing ceremony took place Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the Hon Brent Symonette, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and His Excellency Jose Luis Ponce Caraballo, Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas signed on behalf of their respective government.
Mr Symonette thanked the Government of the Republic of Cuba for its commitment and continued support as it relates to the Agreement.
“This Agreement is a very important one as it establishes the Basic Framework Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation, which is the framework Agreement from which any cooperation project/agreements would follow,” Mr. Symonette said.
The Bahamas is already engaged in technical cooperation with Cuba, specifically in health and education.
In September 2006, the Agreement of Specialty Teachers between the Ministry of Education, the Latin American and Caribbean Pedagogical Institute and the Republic of Cuba was signed. This enabled the Ministry of Education to engage the services of Cuban teachers within the public school system.
The previous two-year Agreement expired in September 2000. A one-year extension was approved in October 2008 to retain the services of Cuban teachers until September 2009.
The Bahamas and the Republic of Cuba on Monday, March 16, 2009 signed a Basic Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation. Pictured from left is His Excellency Jose Luis Ponce Caraballo, Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas; and right is the Hon Brent Symonette, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Looking on is Terry Archer, Protocol Division, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson
“The Ministry of Education and the Embassy of Cuba are engaged in talks with a view to revising the Agreement to engage the services of Cuban teachers for a three-year period. It is hoped that the process would be concluded shortly,” Mr. Symonette said.
From November 2005 to December 2006, the governments of The Bahamas and Cuba entered into a verbal agreement known as “Operation Miracle – Eye Programme”, which allowed persons with any form of visual impairment to obtain medical assistance from Cuba, free of charge.
His Excellency Jose Luis Ponce Caraballo, Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas; and the Hon Brent Symonette, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs shake hands and exchange documents following the signing of a Basic Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation.
BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson
According to the Embassy of Cuba, over 500 Bahamians have benefited from the programme; 399 of whom were diagnosed with a type of Ocular disease that required surgical intervention.
In May 2008, as a result of the Minister of Health’s public notification of The Bahamas Government’s intention to reinstate the programme, the Cuban Embassy via diplomatic channels submitted a draft Memorandum of Cooperation between the Cuban Medical Services and the Government of The Bahamas for the re-implementation of Operation Miracle.
The Cuban Embassy also forwarded for consideration, credentials of an Ophthalmologist and Optometrist, who are expected to be engaged in the programme.
“The Ministry of Health is presently reviewing the draft agreement and it is expected that the Ministry of Health and the Cuban Embassy would be in consultation with respect to the same,” Mr. Symonette said.
He also disclosed other pending agreements between The Bahamas and the Republic of Cuba. They are:
Agreement between the Bahamas Ministry and Agriculture and Marine Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Cuba on collaboration in the field of Plant Quarantine and Plant Protection.
Agreement between the Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Cuba on collaboration in the fields of Animal Quarantine and the controls and eradication of animal diseases.
“A review of these files revealed that these two Agreements were originated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources during the administration of the former Government and were subsequently approved by Cabinet, subject to vetting by the Attorney General’s Office and the agreed language by both governments,” Mr. Symonette said.
Ambassador Caraballo said that Cuba remains committed to rendering assistance to The Bahamas in any endeavour.
“This Agreement proves to further enhance that cooperation between both countries,” he said.
