Friday, January 24, 2025
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
LABOUR Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said that negotiations between the government and health unions are progressing, with hopes of finalising new industrial agreements by next month.
This follows a period of stalled contract talks.
“The goal is for me as the minister to wrap it up as soon as possible,” she said. “Negotiations are conversations back and forth. When we pull away from the table, the conversation ends. So I’m happy to have them back at the tabl.”
Healthcare workers took industrial action earlier this month over issues such as unpaid overtime and lack of health insurance.
When asked about her confidence in resolving these issues, Mrs Glover-Rolle acknowledged that overtime remains a “sticking point” but expressed optimism.
She emphasised the government’s commitment to accountability within the healthcare sector.
“We need to know who’s in the building,” she added. “We need to know who is in the hospital, who is at the facility. Payroll is a separate matter. Overtime is a matter unto itself, but accountability is very important in healthcare.”
Bahamas Doctors Union (BDU) president Dr Camille Glinton-Thompson has said that doctors are not opposed to recording their attendance but want written guarantees for overtime compensation, especially for the long, consecutive hours they work on call. She noted that introducing a clock-in system could result in exorbitant costs given the extensive hours doctors work.
Meanwhile, regarding the Consultant Physician Staff Association (CPSA), health officials confirmed that all articles in the proposed industrial agreement, except for the financial aspects, have been agreed upon.
“We remain hopeful,” CPSA president Dr Charelle Lockhart told The Tribune. “(The) meeting with her was refreshing. She came with a listening ear and heard our concerns.”
For his part, Health and Wellness Minister Michael Darville said that the government is committed to building a new hospital even though industrial issues with healthcare workers raise concerns about how the government could support additional workers.
He noted that health manpower resources are a significant regional issue, and The Bahamas is no exception.
He said 50 trained clinical nurses will soon begin their roles at Bahamas Baptist College. Additionally, the government is bringing in doctors from Africa, as the Cabinet made a decision.
He said: “We’ve had meetings with other CARICOM members or CARICOM ministers of health to speak about the challenges we have throughout the region with the mass recruitment from North America, but our hospitals will be constructed, and we have a plan how to train Bahamians in the long term, but how to recruit healthcare professionals from abroad in the short term to ensure that we do not build hospitals that become white elephants and non-productive.”
Comments
ExposedU2C says...
Photo shows how much she likes to wear her corruption.
Posted 24 January 2025, 1:50 p.m. Suggest removal
Porcupine says...
Ask Prime Minister Davis why his daughter is working as a doctor in the US.
Why do we lose so many health care workers and doctors to North America?
Is it because the US and Canada pays its health care workers and doctors so, so much better?
When we have to bring in health care workers and doctors from Africa is quite something, hey?
Pay a living wage and provide decent working conditions and maybe we wouldn't have such a health care brain drain in this country.
How does our health minister sleep at night knowing what is going on in this country in PMH and our many Family Island clinics? It is truly a disgrace.
It is a matter of priorities. This government wastes too much tax money. Nepotism, inefficiency, fraud, theft and no-bid contracts have drained The Bahamas of the money needed to provide the people of The Bahamas with decent and respectable health care.
Time and again, all of our politicians have allowed this travesty of basic humanity to continue.
Posted 24 January 2025, 2:11 p.m. Suggest removal
Apostle says...
We are not serious about our doctors. On one side of his mouth, Dr. Darville says the Cabinet has decided to recruit doctors from Africa. On the other side of his mouth he said they are losing doctors to North America. Then yet on the other side of his mouth he says he doesn't know how the government will fund the shortages, but they will. Why is it so hard to just simply pay the doctors a reasonable salary and overtime. You give doctors $500.00 a month and say that is for overtime. These guys when on call at least twice a week works from 9:00am until 3:30pm the following day. Yet the government refuses to provide suitable rest room for these doctors. Why can't the government at the very leasy pay them a sensible overtime or change the on call system since they say they need to know who are in the hospital. That is s so petty. I guess when they recruit the doctors from Africa, they will be in the hospital. This is shameful and downright disgraceful.
The other day the PM made some unsavory remarks, and maybe that is why when he gets sick, he goes to the US where his daughter is a doctor. he should bring her home before he calls the kettle black. The Minister Darville says they met with CARICOM Ministers of Health and want to recruit more nurses and doctors when all we need to do is recruit at home and pay them. Instead what the government wants to do is criticize pretty much what they created. Pay the people a sensible wage to encourage them to remain at home.
One time ago, doctors were respected, but this new day government has shown just how much they respect the doctors, nurses, police officers, customs and immigration officers. The doctors are treated as ordinary people. It is said that if you pull somebody down to your level then you feel good. That is share disrespect.
I think that these unions need to negotiate benefits that would encourage doctors to remain at home and to remain in the system. But the government wants to hire them on contract for a few years and then let them go. Then they leave and take up positions in the US. Dr. Darville needs to be honest with himself and stop posturing as though the doctors just leave. The government doesn't want to hire doctors on the Pensionable and permanent staff. Yet they complain when the doctors contract is up and they leave because they cannot in many cases maintain their employment unless they quote and quote support the government of the day.
Posted 25 January 2025, 3:43 p.m. Suggest removal
Porcupine says...
The government them are all the same group of greedy people. These no bid contracts for clinics that the Family Islands don't need and will likely never open are part of the proof that something is very, very fishy.
Of course pay the doctors what they're worth. What exactly do our politicians make a year? For what?
Posted 26 January 2025, 7:36 a.m. Suggest removal
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