[News] Hait & Cuba - Selective Commendation, Selective Indignation

Fri Apr 16 18:21:33 EDT 2010

http://www.counterpunch.org/kirk04162010.html

April 16-18, 2010

Recent Media Coverage of Cuba

Selective Commendation, Selective Indignation

By EMILY J. KIRK, JOHN M. KIRK and NORMAN GIRVAN

The January 2010 earthquake in Haiti caused some 
230,000 deaths, left 1.5 million homeless, and 
has directly affected 3 million Haitians1/3 of 
the population. On March 31, representatives of 
over 50 governments and international 
organizations gathered at the United Nations 
Haiti Donor Conference to pledge long-term 
assistance for the rebuilding of Haiti. At the 
conference, Cuba made arguably the most ambitious 
and impressive pledge of all countriesto rebuild 
the entire National Health Service. While the 
efforts of other government have been praised, 
those of Cuba, however, have largely been ignored in the media.

The aim of Cuba’s contribution is to completely 
reconstruct the Haitian health care systemand to 
do so in a sustainable manner. The new system 
will be based on the Cuban model, embracing 
primary, secondary and tertiary health care, in 
addition to the training of additional Haitian doctors in Cuba. In summary[1]:

The primary level will include 101 clinics to 
treat annually an estimated 2.8 million patients, 
perform 1.3 million emergency operations, deliver 
168,000 babies, and provide 3 million vaccinations.

The secondary level will be provided through 30 
community hospitals. They will have the capacity 
to treat annually 2.1 million patients, and 
provide 1 million emergency surgeries, 54,000 
operations, 276,000 electro-cardiograms, 107,000 
dental exams, 144,000 diagnostic ultrasounds, and 
487,000 laboratory tests. In addition, due to the 
high numbers of poly-traumatized patients, the 30 
rehabilitation rooms will be included throughout 
the country and will provide 2.4 million 
therapeutic treatments for some 520,000 patients.

The tertiary level of health care will be 
delivered by the Haitian Specialties Hospital, 
staffed by 80 Cuban specialists. It will contain 
various clinical departments, and will be used 
for research and teaching, as well as the further 
training of Haitian professionals who will 
gradually replace the Cuban professionals.

Finally, 312 additional medical scholarships are 
to be provided for Haitian students to study in Cuba.

What is also significant point is that these are 
not just ‘pledges’ from Cuba, but rather a 
development of medical assistance which has been 
provided over the last eleven years, and 
dramatically increased since the earthquake. A 
Cuban medical brigade has been in Haiti since 
1999 and has “a presence in 127 of the 137 
Haitian communes, saved 223,442 lives, treated 14 
million people, performed 225,000 operations and 
delivered 109,000 babies”[2]. Furthermore much of 
the promised programme is already in place, as 
“post-quake, 23 of these primary care health 
centers, 15 community reference hospitals and 21 
rehabilitation rooms are up and running”.

The cost of the Cuban programme over a ten-year 
period is estimated at $690.5 millionusing 50 
percent of international prices for services of 
this kind[3]. This is an enormous amount for a 
small developing country (11.2 million 
population); and moreover one that has been under 
a crippling economic blockade from its powerful 
neighbor for nearly half-a-century. It is even 
more notable when compared to those of other 
governments, particularly those of industrialized 
countries. For example, Cuba’s contribution in 
relation to its GDP is 152 times that of the 
United States, which pledged $1.15 billion[4]. 
Among other G-7 countries, France, the former 
colonial power, pledged $188.93 million, Germany 
$53.17 million, Japan $75 million, and Canada 
$375.23 million, while Italy and the United 
Kingdom, though not specifically listed, were 
probably included in the $203.19 million pledge 
that was made in the name of “EU Remaining” group of countries.[5]

Hence in absolute terms the monetary value of 
Cuba’s contribution is almost 4 times that of 
France, 12 times that of Germany, and almost 
twice that of Canada. Indeed, excluding the U.S., 
Cuba’s contribution is more than the rest of the 
G7 countries combined, as well as 35% more than 
the contribution of the World Bank ($479 
million). In all, 59 pledges were made from 
governments, regional blocs and financial institutions.

In other words, while other countries are 
pledging money, Cuba is actively creating an 
entire sustainable health care system which will 
treat 75% of the Haitian population,[6] and save 
hundreds of thousands of lives.

And yet, in spite of the extraordinary value of 
this commitment, it has been largely ignored by 
the principal North American media. An analysis 
of coverage of the Haiti Donor Conference by five 
major U.S. mediaCNN, the New York Times, the 
Boston Globe, the Washington Post, and the Miami 
Heraldrevealed that, of 38 posts recorded in the 
ten days immediately following the Conference, 
only one mentioned the Cuban contributionand 
that only briefly. In fact the first four listed 
above entirely ignored Cuba’s contribution; the 
one mention being in the Miami Herald. On the 
other hand 22 of the 38 postings mention the U.S. 
contribution. The amount of media coverage is 
also instructive in indicating the gradual 
decline in media interest following the disaster. 
That said, the UN Haiti Donor Conference was 
clearly worthy of widespread attention, with a 
major gathering of some of the world’s leading 
decision-makersyet there was noticeably little 
published about it, and especially about Cuba’s extraordinary contribution.

In addition, our analysis of the first fifty 
results in Google News for ‘United Nations Haiti 
Donor Conference’ generated only two articles 
that mentioned Cuba’s role; one of which simply 
focused on the rarity of Cuban and United States 
officials working together. By contrast, 31 of 
the 50 articles discuss the contributions of 
developed countries at the Donor Conference, and 
21 specifically discuss that of the United 
States9 of which mention the $1.15 billion pledged by the US government.

Indeed a content analysis of the articles reveals 
that their main theme was the importance of the 
role of the United States in helping Haiti. The 
dollar amount pledged was repeatedly stated, and 
the U.S. effort was often described as being 
equally (or more) important than that of the UN. 
According to one article, “The biggest 
contributions came from the United States and the 
European Union”.[7] Even if one compares the 
absolute amounts pledged, this is simply not 
trueas the Venezuelan pledge was for $2.4 
billion[8]. Another article singles out the 
United States, explaining “Over 140 nations, 
including the United States, have provided 
immediate assistance and relief to millions of 
Haitians”,[9] and in media coverage the United 
States consistently headed the list of 
contributing countries. Another article lists the 
United States as having a more important role 
than the United Nations, noting “Haiti's friends, 
as they are called - including the U.S., France, 
Brazil, Canada, the UN and the Red Cross”.[10] In 
sum, while relief efforts in Haiti were/are an 
international affair, the media have largely 
focused on contributions made by the United States.

Another common theme in coverage was the lack of 
assistance from other countries. Hence, when the 
assistance of the United States was not praised, 
those of other countries were denigrated. As one 
article states, “The United States pledged $1.15 
billion, in addition to the $900 million it has 
already given... By comparison, China pledged 
$1.5 million yes, you read it right, million with 
an ``m'' -- in addition to the nearly $14 million 
it has already given”.[11] Thus, there is a 
consistent pattern of disproportionately positive 
representation by the media of the role of the 
United States, one that both emphasizes the 
actual pledge and ignores blatantly the significant Cuban pledge.

There is a dramatic contrast between the cover-up 
of Cuba’s extraordinary contribution to Haiti by 
mainstream US media and the enormous attention by 
the same media on alleged human rights abuses in 
that country. Literally dozens of articles on 
this topic have appeared in recent weeks. Of 
particular media interest was the death of 
Orlando Zapata Tamayo (a jailed “dissident” with 
a criminal record who refused food for 80 days 
before dying) and the hunger strike of Guillermo 
Fariñas. The death of Zapata as a result of the 
hunger strike continues to be written about and 
discussed. Indeed it has been used consistently 
as a springboard to increase criticism of the 
Cuban government. Thus, between February 10 and 
April 6 we found a total of 77 stories in the 
five media houses surveyed about the hunger 
strikersfive in CNN, seven in the New York 
Times, 13 in the Washington Post, four in the 
Boston Globe and 48 in the Miami Herald. The 
difference in the coverage of these two 
Cuba-related stories is striking. It reveals a 
clear disinterest in providing positive 
information on Cuba, but a significant appetite to criticize Cuba.

As a result, instead of reporting on an 
enormously important and topical story on a 
programme aimed at improving the lives of 75% of 
Haiti’s population, the media have chosen to 
focus on the individual cases of two men who have 
consciously and deliberately decided to embark on 
a suicidal course. It does not take much to work 
out that the aim is to embarrass the Cuban 
government by following these “human interest” 
stories about two individuals who oppose the 
Cuban government, presenting them as martyrs. It 
is also obvious that there is a clear media 
filter, one which seeks to prevent any media 
coverage that could be construed as being 
positive of Cubain this case seen in the 
government’s commitment to the reconstruction of Haiti.

In examining the media’s representation of Cuba’s 
role in Haiti’s development and the stories of 
two “dissidents”, it is clear that politically 
biased “infotainment” has won out. Sadly (but 
perhaps predictably), in their coverage of Cuba, 
the media in the “developed world” have focused 
on the latter while ignoring Cuba’s remarkable 
offer that will surely and significantly improve 
the lives of millions of Haitians, (while at the 
same time highlighting the role and contribution 
of the United States). Yet again we have an 
example of selective commendation and selective 
indignation in the North American media’s presentation of Cuba.

Emily J. Kirk will be an M.A. student in Latin 
American Studies at Cambridge University in September.

John Kirk is a professor of Latin American 
Studies at Dalhousie University, Canada. Both are 
working on a project on Cuban medical 
internationalism sponsored by Canada's Social 
Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada 
(SSHRC).  Professor Kirk co-wrote with Michael 
Erisman the 2009 book "Cuba's Medical 
Internationalism: Origins, Evolution and Goals" 
(Palgrave Macmillan).  He spent most of February 
and March in El Salvador and Guatemala, 
accompanying the Henry Reeve Brigade in El 
Salvador, and working with the Brigada Medica Cubana in Guatemala.

Norman Girvan is Professorial Research Fellow at 
the University of the West Indies Graduate 
Institute of International Relations at the 
University of the West Indies in St. Augustine, 
Trinidad and Tobago. He is Vice Chairman of the 
Board of the South Centre and member of the 
United Nations Committee on Development Policy.

Notes.

[1] Details from the Statement by Cuban Foreign 
Minister Bruno Rodriguez to the Haiti Donor 
Conference, available at 
“<http://www.haiticonference.org/pledges-statements.html>Pledge 
Statements”; United Nations International Donors’ 
Conference Towards A New Future For Haiti”. 2010.

[2] From the Pledge Statement by Foreign Minister Rodriguez.

[3] The total “includes the medical services 
provided, calculated at 50% of international 
prices; the sustainability of these services and 
the personnel providing them; and the training of 
a further 312 Haitian doctors in Cuba”. Whereas 
the Official Text of the Cuban Statement 
published on the 
<https://undp.box.net/file/412916690/encoded/39769548/be988a3663eeb8775a5e73766a4be61a>UN 
website refers to this cost “over four years”, 
the text of Foreign Minister’s Bruno Rodriguez’s 
speech as published by Granma International 
refers to this cost over ten years (see 
<http://overseasreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/statement-of-cuban-foreign-minister-at.html>Overseas 
Territories Review)

[4] Cuba’s contribution of $690.6 million is the 
equivalent of 1.22 percent of its annual GDP 
($56.52 billion in 2009); the U.S. pledge of 
$1.15 billion is the equivalent of 0.008096 
percent of its annual GDP (14,204 of billion in 
2008). Source of the Cuban GDP estimate is the 
CIA Fact book figure at official rates of 
exchange; that of the US is the World Bank’s World Development Indicators.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] 
“<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8596080.stm>UN 
Haiti Donor Pledges Surpass Target of Almost $10 Billion”. BBC. 1 April, 2010.

[8] The Venezuelan pledge, which has also been 
largely ignored by the U.S. media, consists of 
$1,431 million via the PetroCaribe Oil Facility 
for infrastructure and social spending, $409 
million via PetroCaribe for direct budgetary 
support to the Government of Haiti, $395 million 
in debt forgiveness (announced shortly after the 
earthquake), $100 million through the ALBA Bank, 
$37.2 million towards the Union of South American 
States’ $200 million pledge, $2.3 million for 
emergency supplies via CITGO, and unspecified 
support for food and education; for a total of 
$2,420 million. Source: 
<http://www.haiticonference.org/pledges-statements.html>Venezuelan 
Pledge Statement.

[9] Esther Brimmer. 
“<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/esther-brimmer/rebuilding-haiti-a-global_b_528790.html>Rebuilding 
Haiti: A Global Response to a Global Crisis”. The 
Huffington Post. 12 April, 2010.

[10] Wilnetz, Amy. 
“<http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/04/12/2010-04-12_renew_haiti_from_the_ground_up.html>Renew 
Haiti From The Ground Up”. NY Daily News. 12 April, 2010.

[11] Andres Oppenheimer. 
“<http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/03/1562417/china-should-be-ashamed-of-its.html#ixzz0ktnhldAK>China 
Should Be Ashamed of Its Aid to Haiti”. Miami Herald. 3 April, 2010.

This article was written for Cuba-L Analysis and CounterPunch.

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