By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has raised concerns about demands for overtime pay from healthcare workers, insisting that payments cannot be justified without a proper time-tracking system to verify hours worked.

He also urged union leaders to return to the negotiating table, warning that the government cannot meet all financial demands without ensuring accountability.

“Every Bahamian who pays taxes has a stake in ensuring that public funds are managed responsibly,” Mr Davis told reporters at Baha Mar yesterday.

“I ask you, the Bahamian people, would you agree to pay overtime in your business or workplace without verifying that the hours were worked? Accountability is not negotiable. It protects the fairness and integrity of the system for everyone.”

The prime minister noted that healthcare workers have resisted calls for a time-tracking system, making it difficult for the government to approve their overtime demands.

His comments come amid heightened tensions with healthcare workers, who have raised unresolved issues such as overtime pay, lack of health insurance, and an expired industrial agreement.

While commending doctors for their dedication to saving lives, Mr Davis said the government must balance the needs of healthcare workers with those of the wider population. He pointed to efforts by his administration to address financial concerns, including resolving $2.8m in outstanding payments last October. This sum included $1.5m in ex gratia payments to healthcare workers.

On the issue of health insurance, Mr Davis said the government has presented three “comprehensive” options designed to provide workers with flexibility and choice while maintaining financial sustainability.

He also expressed frustration with delays in finalising industrial agreements, claiming that union representatives have missed scheduled meetings.

“The government has shown its readiness to sign agreements and move forward,” Mr Davis said. “However, there have been occasions where union representatives fail to attend scheduled meetings, causing unnecessary delays. This undermines the process and ultimately exacerbates challenges faced by both workers and the public.”

Consultant Physician Staff Association president Dr Charelle Lockhart refuted these claims yesterday, insisting that union representatives have consistently attended meetings, including one reportedly called by Mr Davis, where he failed to appear.

“We have gone to every single meeting, including the meeting with him, where he called us to a meeting, and he did not show up,” Dr Lockhart said. “Disrespectfully, they had us waiting for one hour before they told us that the prime minister was on a plane going to another country.”

Dr Lockhart also criticised Mr Davis for accusing healthcare workers on Wednesday of neglecting patient care during a two-day nationwide strike earlier this week, saying that the strike had been carefully managed to ensure critical care was not disrupted.

“Medical workers take their oath to care for patients very seriously,” she said. “That is why the senior physicians made sure that the critically ill patients who were in the hospital and the ones who were coming into the hospital were covered and seen. So I think that his comments are very reckless, and I am disappointed in the fact that he is questioning our integrity as a group.”

The strike, which was led by Trade Union Congress (TUC) president Obie Ferguson, involved healthcare professionals, air traffic controllers, and other government workers. It forced some clinics to close and left health facilities in “crisis mode.”

Mr Ferguson accused the government of failing to fulfil promises outlined in a 2021 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and union leaders, despite the TUC’s support for the PLP in the last general election.

Mr Davis insisted that his administration has honoured most of the MoU’s terms, with only “one or two matters” pending resolution. He said he had instructed Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle to engage with Mr Ferguson following a recent email.

The prime minister also responded to Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) President Belinda Wilson’s criticism of his government’s handling of labour issues, which she rated as an “F.”

Mr Davis said: “There must be mutual respect for fruitful dialogue. I will speak to people who will be respectful and who will not come to a table and say, ‘well, I ain’t trust what you gon’ say.’ How you gon’ talk to me when you don’t trust me? You have to start off by trusting.”

In addition to his comments on healthcare and banking, Mr Davis said he has ordered a comprehensive review of all heads of agreements.

“Every company benefiting from concessions has a duty to reinvest in our nation and its people,” he said. “This is not optional. But accountability is just the beginning.”

Mr Davis pledged to ensure Bahamians have a real path to leadership in the workforce. While acknowledging the country’s success in attracting foreign talent, he criticised the dominance of foreign labour in senior roles, calling it “unacceptable” without clear opportunities for Bahamians to rise.

“My government will ensure that Bahamians have the training and mentorship needed to lead,” he said. “This is a priority of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. And let me add this: it’s not just about jobs; it’s about ownership.”