An editorial asserts that petty politics and diplomatic one-upmanship should not play a part in a stated request by Dr Juan Carrizo Estevez, the director of Cuba's two-year-old Latin American School of Medical Sciences, to obtain a visa to the US to meet with black college officials and the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss a grandiose, gratuitous offer from Cuba of a free medical education to US students.
"Argues that the Caribbean needs education that is not over-specialized and aimed at specific skills, but rather education that is integrated with social and cultural characteristics and values of the Caribbean. Author expounds on the value of this broader, cultural view of education, and deplores the narrower work-related view on education predominant in the region. He also points out that in the present dynamic economic conditions learning throughout life, and dealing with change, have become more necessary to ensure varied employment, but stresses that this must be accompanied by attention for arts and cultural knowledge, as well as a strengthening of the bond between education and community." (University of the West Indies, Mona Online Research Database)
Shunning warnings that Cuban Pres Fidel Castro was using them for propaganda purposes, eight US residents have taken Castro up on his offer to grant them free medical education, provided they return to poor communities in the US. On Apr 4, 2001, the eight African-American students took part in welcoming ceremonies hosted by Cuba's Latin American School of Medical Sciences.
