Cuban Ambassador meets scholarship students
Two Cook Islands students, Norman Tangi and Tutai Vakalalabure, will be travelling to Cuba on the medical scholarship fostered between the Cuban government and the Cook Islands Ministry of Health. The scholarship, a conjoint effort between the two governments, is for 6 years study in Cuba where the first year for the two Cook Islands students will be an induction course in the Spanish language.
Cuban and Cook Island diplomatic relations were initially established in 2002 and have been strengthening since then, with the first offer of two placements for the medical scholarship taking place this year. Currently the Cuban government offers a south cooperation program hosting 200 students on similar scholarships from varying Pacific nations to study medicine.
Noting the similarities between Cuba and the Cook Islands as small developing islands, Cuban Ambassador to New Zealand, Her Excellency Maria del Carmen Herrera Caseiro expressed on behalf of the Cuban government the development of relations, ““We try to share the little we have, the expertise and knowledge that we have in medicine,” says Caseiro.
Present at the official meeting of the Cuban Ambassador and nominated students Norman Tangi and Tutai Vakalalabure, was Minister of Health Nandi Glassie and Secretary of Health Liz Iro. Glassie congratulated the pair and offered further thanks to the Cuban government and Ambassador Maria Caseiro, “Because this is a first for the Cook Islands and Cuba, enhancing the training of health workers, cementing and reaffirming our relationship.” -Maria Tanner

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