Gordon Robinson | Fair weather friends

News broke on Thursday that, after fifty years, Government discontinued its medical cooperation program with Cuba.

Foreign Affairs Ministry announced “…both governments were unable to agree on the terms and conditions of a new technical cooperation arrangement, following the expiration of the previous agreement in February 2023.” That was THREE YEARS AGO! How come we’ve been pressing on despite no formal “arrangement” then suddenly terminate the program.

WHA’PPEN?

USA happened. Jamaica was pressing on regardless when, on January 29, 2026, USA Executive Order #14380 declared a national emergency with respect to Cuba. It authorised USA to impose new tariffs on imports from countries directly or indirectly supplying oil to Cuba.

Allrighty then! Not very nice but we don’t supply oil to Cuba. So, we say nothing. Right? They’ll leave us alone. Right?

Remember First They Came by reformed Nazi sympathizer Pastor Martin Niemöller?

First they came for the Communists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Socialists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left

to speak out for me.

JLP sympathizers keep telling us “Government has no choice”; we must just try to “survive”; and “walk between the raindrops”. Well, it didn’t take long for rain to fall on us. On February 25, they came for us. Marco Rubio attended a CARICOM Heads of Government meeting. The resulting “joint statement” (February 27) included:

“All parties recognised there should be efforts to address the growing [Cuban] humanitarian crisis [CARICOM] , cognisant of its very close relationship with both Cuba and USA, and mindful of the extent to which the Region can be negatively affected, is willing to participate in any way that will redound to the benefit of the Cuban people while maintaining regional stability.”

Six days later Jamaica laps its tail and declares ( “to the benefit of the Cuban people, while maintaining regional stability”?) an end to a fifty year arrangement under which Cuban healthcare workers filled key gaps in Jamaica’s public health system. Not so long ago these Cuban healthcare workers rescued Jamaica during the pandemic.

Health and Wellness Ministry’s website (March 22, 2020):

“Jamaica today welcomed 140 Cuban medical professionals to support the island’s national response efforts for the Coronavirus Disease.”

One! Hundred!! And!!! FORTY!!!!

That team included Ninety specialist nurses; Forty-six doctors; and four therapists. The website quoted Health Minister Chris Tufton:

“We are witnessing a continuation of the friendship between Jamaica and Cuba. In a time of crisis, in a time of emergency, the Cuban Government, the Cuban people have risen to the occasion. They have heard our appeal and have responded”

and further reported:

“The Minister was at the Norman Manley International Airport to welcome the Cubans.”

You’re so sweet (by Neil Diamond)! Will you be at the airport when Cuban healthcare workers are shipped off? Is THIS how WE rise to the occasion when our Cuban friends need us? Does “maintaining regional stability” translate “Beg yu no sen’ no missile to Jamaica. Wi no ’ave no Aya-tol’ya-so”?

It reminds me of a shaggy dog tale told by Haemorrhoid about arrangements:

A contractor tells his wife he’s gotten the contract to fix a cracked walkway into the Pentagon.

“Two other contractors showed up to bid” he explained. “One from Minnesota; the other Tennessee. A Pentagon official accompanied us to examine the walkway. The Minnesota contractor used a tape measure; measured; worked figures on a pad and said ‘I can do the job for $9,000: $4,000 for materials, $4,000 for labour; and $1,000 for me.’

“The Tennessee contractor did the same. He said, ‘I can do the job for $7,000: $3,000 for materials; $3,000 for labour; and $1,000 for me.’

“I pulled the Pentagon official aside and whispered ‘I can do the job for $27,000.’ The official was incredulous ‘You didn’t measure like the others! How’d you come up with THAT figure?’

“I whispered, ‘$10,000 for you, $10, 000 for me, and we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the walkway’.

I only hope Jamaica got at least thirty pieces of silver for what I believe to be a simpering, whimpering capitulation to an unjust, unfair ultimatum resulting in spineless betrayal of a half century long friendship.

Everybody, including Government, has choices. Jamaica’s historical indifference to regional unity fractured CARICOM producing a splintered response. So Jamaica chose the path of least resistance; to be fair weather friends. So, we anxiously wait for whatever American demands those choices next bring.

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com