FOR Jamaicans, citizenship is a birthright; however, for Dr Yanetsy Cuellar Tamargo, a native of Havana, Cuba, attaining Jamaican citizenship serves as a way of expressing gratitude as she seeks to give back to a country that opened its doors, embraced her wholeheartedly, and allowed her to thrive in her career.

A board-certified orthodontist, Dr Tamargo arrived in Jamaica in 2014 under a Cuba-Jamaica medical programme, serving as a lecturer in dentistry at the University of Technology, Jamaica. As her contract neared its end, she said the university approached her with an offer to remain on staff under an independent contract. Seeing it as an opportunity to continue contributing to dental education while building a life in Jamaica, she accepted without hesitation.

The orthodontist said she eventually applied for permanent residence after three years on the island. She then opened her orthodontic office, Yanetsy Orthodontics, in 2018, and later began the process of applying for Jamaican citizenship in 2022.