More security for Cuban health workers after second attack 

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says his government will provide more security for Cuban medical professionals in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, after two of them were attacked in Georgetown Tuesday night, the second such incident in less than two weeks.

“When you have two incidents, you begin to ask yourself the question and, of course, this has to be explored, ‘Are these random incidents or is there more?'” Gonsalves, who is also minister of National Security said on NBC Radio today (Wednesday).

“From all reports, we have had a very successful creative outpouring in Carnival and people have enjoyed themselves. The carnival has been marred really by a few instances of violence and criminal conduct, including a couple of homicides … and that’ a matter which we have to continue to work on, the whole of the society,” he said.

“I got the news this morning when I got up at 3:30 but the information has been sent just around midnight to me but I was sleeping at  midnight that two cubans up in the Georgetown area, two Cuban professionals, doctors, one who has come to work on the MRI machine, MRI facility, he was assaulted and injured, he had to do surgery last night,”the prime minister said.

He said he was told that the injured man was “recovering pretty OK.

“And another Cuban who was with him, a lady, another professional at Modern Medical, was struck with a stone,” he said, using a shorthand name for the Cuban-funded diagnostic centre in the northeastern town.

“The police are investigating and I understand that somebody is in custody who may be of interest. I spoke to the commissioner this morning and asked him to get in touch with the Cuban ambassador for us to provide additional requisite security for our Cuban brothers and sisters who are here working as professionals in medicine, in the health  services,” the prime minister said.

Gonsalves said he also spoke to the Cuban ambassador to Kingstown as well as deputy hospital administrator, Idinga Miller, who is the  administrator at Modern Medical and Diagnostic Centre, in Georgetown. 

“All that was done this morning before a lot of people wake up, because it is vital to our well being,” the prime minister said. 

iWitness News was reliably informed that Daima Ves Aeosta, a 39-year-old medical engineer of Cuba, residing at Georgetown, was chopped on the hands by an unidentified assailant about 10:20 p.m. Tuesday night. 

Also, Janet Gameo Fableone, a 46-year-old x-ray technician, also of Cuba  and residing at Georgetown, was struck with a stone to the nose, resulting in injury, also around 10:20 p.m. Tuesday.

The attacks Tuesday night follows the one on July 1, when Cuban physician Dr. Alfredo Batista Salgado was left in intensive care after being slashed in the abdomen as he was on his way to his Mc Kies Hill home after the Calypso Semi-finals show in Kingstown. 

An unknown assailant cut Batista across the abdomen, resulting in his intestines being exposed and hospitalisation in the Intensive Care Unit.