Dear Editor
The Caribbean’s Dignity at Stake in the Struggle for U.S. Entry
Across the Eastern Caribbean, a dangerous question is being forced upon small states: Is easier access to a U.S. visa worth the erosion of sovereignty? For Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and the wider CARICOM, this is no longer a theoretical debate. It is unfolding in real time—demand by demand.
A Bully’s Bargain
First, it was Citizenship by Investment (CBI). Then Cuba. Then Venezuela. Now third-party deportees. What’s next—just for a visa?
The pattern is impossible to ignore. Caribbean nations are being told—implicitly or explicitly—that cooperation, policy alignment, and even social absorption of external problems may determine how kindly visa gates swing open. That is not diplomacy; it is leverage.
Small states must be careful not to sell out long-term independence for short-term mobility, especially when those concessions destabilize already fragile systems.
The Cuban Medical Programme: A Lifeline Under Threat
For decades, the Cuban medical programme has been the backbone of public health across the region. Doctors and nurses—often in rural and underserved communities—came when others would not. To dismantle this partnership is not a neutral request; it directly threatens healthcare delivery.
This comes at a time when the nursing sector is already bleeding talent to the UK, USA, Canada, and the UAE. The consequences are clear:
- Chronic understaffing
- Burnout among remaining nurses
- Overburdened hospitals
- Reduced quality of care
Removing Cuban medical support under these conditions is to invite collapse, all to satisfy an external political agenda.
Deportees and Double Standards
If they’re “undesirable” for America, why should they be acceptable for us?
Perhaps the most alarming pressure point is the expectation that Caribbean states accept third-party deportees. Our societies already grapple with instability linked to imported firearms and organized crime—many originating from the United States.
If a country with the world’s best security and economy deems certain individuals unfit to remain, on what moral or practical basis should they be offloaded onto Dominica, Antigua, or any CARICOM state? This is not burden-sharing; it is burden-dumping.
Remember Who Stood With Us
When hurricanes struck, when economies staggered, Venezuela and Cuba stood with the Caribbean. Energy support, medical aid, technical cooperation—these were survival tools, not symbolic gestures.
To now be told to abandon these allies in exchange for visa goodwill raises a profound ethical question: What does loyalty mean in international relations if it evaporates under pressure?
Dignity vs. Desire
Leaders must listen to the masses, but they must also lead. Many Caribbean people quietly prioritize visa access above all else—seeking opportunity, education, and escape.
But leadership is not about following fear. It is about defending national interest even when the crowd is tempted by short-term gain. Trading healthcare resilience, social stability, and diplomatic independence for visa favors sets a precedent that never ends.
Today It’s a Visa. Tomorrow, What?
- First CBI.
- Then, Cuban doctors.
- The,n Venezuelan partnerships.
- Now deportees.
If this trajectory continues, the question is no longer whether sovereignty is being compromised—but how much is left.
The Caribbean must engage the world, yes—but on terms that respect its dignity. A visa is a document. Sovereignty is survival.
Disclaimer
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