By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR nurse suspended after publicly exposing deteriorating conditions at Princess Margaret Hospital said yesterday she has no plans to pursue legal action but hopes authorities will address the “serious concerns” she raised.

Pearl Williams, a 44-year veteran of the nursing profession, said she wants Bahamians to one day “access care in a safer environment.”

In her video, recorded more than two weeks ago, she lamented leaking roofs, rodent infestations, and supply shortages at the hospital. She also appealed directly to Prime Minister Philip Davis to intervene and resolve long-standing staffing shortages and delays in opening the new Accident & Emergency department.

Following the video’s release, the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) suspended her, reportedly instructing her not to travel, not to enter the hospital except for medical care, and to surrender her identification badge. The PHA later said her post was under investigation for allegedly breaching its social media policy.

The move sparked widespread public outrage and opposition, even from Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville, who said he had requested a full briefing from the PHA and would ensure “due process is followed” and that the nurse is treated fairly.

Labour and employment attorney Darren Bain said yesterday that the legality of the suspension would depend on the nurse’s employment contract and whether the PHA’s social media policy forms part of its contractual terms.

“You can't just simply say to me that a policy exists, but that policy hasn't been communicated to me and secondly, it never was communicated to me in the context of saying, this is actually a term of an employment contract,” Mr Bain said. “So, for when you say to me that we want to suspend you based upon breach of this particular policy, the obvious question that goes to my mind is whether that policy is being communicated to this particular employee and does it form a part of the employee's contract.”

Mr Bain said while employers can restrict staff access to property during a suspension, banning travel would be excessive and potentially amount to constructive dismissal. He said PHA officials will likely argue that the nurse’s statements could undermine public confidence by revealing safety hazards that the agency prefers to manage internally.

He also cautioned that workers should exhaust internal reporting channels before airing grievances publicly. “The PHA says that we have a policy in respect to our social media platforms and what can and cannot be shared,” he said, adding that employees should first alert supervisors and management before seeking public attention.

Attorney Sidney Campbell took a more critical view, arguing that the suspension breaches section 47 of the Freedom of Information Act, which protects whistleblowers who disclose wrongdoing or threats to public health and safety in good faith.

“The Information Act does give her the right to do it, and she could do it as a whistleblower,” he said. “Now what they need to do is make sure that the place is safe and healthy for Bahamians to be housed, because that's the only hospital some people would have access to.”

He believes Ms Williams should not have been suspended before an investigation.