The Dominica Cuba Friendship Association, the Guild of Cuban Graduates Dominica Chapter Issues Joint Statement.
DOMINICA, July 6, 2011.- The Dominica-Cuba Friendship Association and the Guild of Cuban Graduates, spread through the Television Service "Marpin TV", a statement in which they strongly condemn the statements made by Dr. Hazel Shillingford - Rickets, Vice President of the Medical Association of Dominica, attacking Cuba Scholarship Programs, through which many young people of the island have graduated in Cuba in various fields, particularly in the field of medicine.
The statement, delivered by the President of the Dominica – Cuba Friendship Association, Frankie Lowe, recognizes the quality of graduates in Cuba and the Cuban health system. It also recognizes that 90% of healthcare in the country is provided by medical graduates in our country.
The "Dominica Cuba Friendship Association" & "The Guild of Cuban Graduates Dominica Chapter" Strongly Condemn and Reject Unfounded criticisms of the Cuban Scholarship program By Dr Hazel Shillingford- Rickets
It is with great interest that on the heels of celebrating a Grand Reunion of Cuban Graduates and Affiliates and indeed celebrating a Forty (40) year old relationship with Cuba that has produced no less than some 400 professionals out of which 90 are medical Doctors, that we have listened to comments by Dr. Hazel Shillingford-Rickets critical of the Cuban medical program.
The Cuban Scholarship Program by its nature and from inception has sought to give the poor, disenfranchised people of Dominica, the Caribbean and the world (including the U.S.) an opportunity to excel and become trained professional in various fields. Presently, Cuban Medical Graduates are performing well and heading some of the top organizations in our beloved country. While some have remained others have gone out and are providing their services in recognized hospitals in the Caribbean, USA and London.
Today the program has met resistance in a subtle manner through Dr Shillingford - Rickets who claims in her news item on May 23rd, 2011 that because the minimum entry requirement for the medical program being 5 CXC subjects that the graduates find difficulties to get into post graduate training as they don't have the education background on which to build; how absurd!
It is incomprehensible and unbelievable that a professional like Dr Shillingford-Rickets could simplify and generalize a matter of such complexity. In other words, is she insinuating that if a student gets a bare pass at common entrance that he/she cannot go to college even after successfully completing secondary school? Or he/she cannot subsequently be an exemplary student? Is there a different medical program for student with "A" levels because their parent could afford the cost from those with CXCs whose parent could not afford.
- The Cuban program is not the only institution accepting students coming out from high school; our own University of the West Indies (UWI) accepts students from high School with Five CXC passes.
- In any field of study, students enter with varying qualification levels and this does not translate into automatic success and more outstanding performance for the more qualified students. It is well known that self application and the ability to assimilate is the determining factor.
- In all learning institutions there will be students that have pursued the same syllabus graduating with honors, credits, basic passes and there will even be failures; the Cuban Medical Program is no exception.
- About 90% of the District Medical Officers are Cuban graduates and the Chief Medical Officer of Dominica is a Cuban graduate. The consultant Psychiatrist and Consultant Dermatologist of Dominica are both Cuban graduates with post graduate degrees. She should be well aware of the many Cuban graduates who left the service e.g. Dr. Thomas, Dr. Lawrence, Dr. Hamlet all have post graduate medicine degrees and are practicing in the USA.
- That the many Cuban medical specialists operating here with distinction all have post graduate degrees and completed the same program.
- The Cuba produces some of the best medical practitioners in the world and is recognized by World Health Organization for its health programs.
- Dr. Benet Henry from our sister island of St Lucia, is an ophthalmologist (eye specialist) like her who recently open his eye clinic in Dominica is also a Cuban medical graduate with a post graduate degree.
We the members of the Guild of Cuban Graduates and the Dominica Cuba Friendship Association applaud the People of Dominican for intelligently embracing the arms of friendship and the subsequent benefits thereof, offered by our sister island Cuba since 1979. We strongly condemn statements made by Doctor Shillingford-Rickets and others, who for whatever reason have chosen to attack the integrity of the Cuban Scholarship Program. The program after all, was designed to assist the less fortunate with financial disability but posses the mental capacity to assimilate and become capable professionals in their chosen field of study; there are many more on the way.
We therefore implore Dr. Shillingford-Rickets to deal with any authentic concerns that she may have in a more practical manner and continue to be of the true service to not only herself but to the people of Dominica.
Long Live the Cuban Scholarship program
Long Live Dominica-Cuba Friendship
God bless Dominica, God bless Cuba
This statement was also broadcast by other media reported the country. (Cubaminrex-Embacuba Dominica)
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