BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will officially begin his three-country tour of CARICOM member states tomorrow (Mar. 26), with discussions expected to focus on strengthening partnerships between the region and the United States, as well as addressing key regional challenges.
Among the anticipated topics of discussion are Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes, energy security, the ongoing crisis in Haiti, maritime shipping and tariffs on Chinese vessels, and efforts to combat transnational criminal networks.
Rubio’s tour will begin in Jamaica, where he is set to meet with Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Barbados’ Prime Minister and CARICOM Chair Mia Mottley, and newly appointed Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Stuart Young. He will then travel to Guyana and Suriname, where oil exploration will be a major point of discussion in the context of regional energy security.
Three major issues are expected to generate debate during the discussions. These include the U.S. stance on Cuba, particularly the threat of visa restrictions for regional leaders who employ Cuban doctors; the review of CBI programmes, a longstanding issue affecting several CARICOM nations; and concerns over national security related to individuals acquiring citizenship under these investment programmes.
U.S. Special Envoy for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, addressed the Cuban doctors issue, asserting that their treatment under Cuba’s government violates International Labour Organization (ILO) accords.
"what we are asking is that they not support human trafficking, that they support – and I know that there’s been some efforts, particularly starting with Barbados, in order to directly pay these Cuban doctors so that they...have a certain amount of freedom of movement and freedom of their professional practice, et cetera,"Claver-Carone said.
However, regional leaders, including Mia Mottley, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, and former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, have strongly rejected allegations of human trafficking. They argue that Cuban medical personnel receive fair wages and treatment in line with local standards.
The Trump administration has taken a firm stance on human trafficking, with U.S. authorities pledging to work with regional governments to ensure Cuban doctors are working under fair conditions.
Another key concern for the U.S. is the free movement of Chinese and Iranian nationals under CBI programmes, which Washington views as a potential national security risk.
Claver-Carone warned that the security of Caribbean nations could also be compromised by these individuals. Recent reports published in The New York Times flagged certain jurisdictions offering CBI programmes for review. According to the report, countries on the list have been urged to reform their programmes or risk potential visa restrictions.
In response, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis has been working through diplomatic channels to address these concerns. Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas has reportedly engaged in discussions with U.S. officials on the matter.
As Rubio’s tour unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the region and Washington, D.C., can find common ground on these contentious issues and what progress will be made in advancing the interests of CARICOM nations.
