Day 2: Hospital sickout/strike continues!
The sick-out or strike took place at the state-owned Peebles Hospital in Road Town, on the main Island of Tortola. Peebles Hospital is managed by the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA).
Doctors and other medical personnel, who spoke to our newsroom yesterday, confirmed that the strike has directly affected patient care and attention despite the erroneous claims by the Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Health Services Authority, Mrs Paula G. Chester-Cumberbatch, that there was no effect.
Today, February 21, 2017 many of the doctors and other medical personnel did not show up for work after being given, in some cases, three to five days sick leave.
Doctors speak to Health Services Board
However, the Board of Directors of the BVI Health Services Authority met today under the new acting Chairman Mrs Ayana Liburd and invited some doctors to make a presentation about their many issues, including pay packages, discrimination against local medical specialists and working conditions.
A spokesman for the BVI Medical Association, Dr Craig K. Stoutt, told our newsroom that part of the issues that have caused the grievances is how local doctors are treated. They are discriminated against in terms of “pay compensation as compared to many of the doctors brought in from overseas on contract with the same qualifications but less experience than local medical specialists.”
Our newsroom understands that if the issues conveyed to the Board in the doctors’ presentation this morning are not resolved, the industrial action could expand to nurses, and other non-medical staff at Peebles Hospital.
There are also growing concerns with the new Trinidadian CEO Mrs Chester-Cumberbatch, and her relationship with medical staff. There are reports about tensions over management style and approach; however, the source did not elaborate.
Leader of the Opposition weighs in
Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) blasted the Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) led Government over the manner in which the former Chairman Bishop John I. Cline was fired for simply speaking is mind. Hon Fahie, in a press statement today, February 21, 2017 called Premier Smith’s actions “high-handed” and warned the country is now going down “a slippery slope.”
Hon Fahie accused the National Democratic Party Administration of victimisation and said Mr Cline was forced out because he “respectfully exercised his democratic rights in voicing his opinion.”
Our newsroom will keep readers updated as this story unfolds.
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62 Responses to “Day 2: Hospital sickout/strike continues!”
Just because foreigners can be hired for whatever doesnt mean locals must be ignored. Something must be wrong., compensate the people fairly and patients will benefit.
/7 ? After spending over a decade in school do you think your salary should be less than a secretary and below minimumwage? Do you realize that the average doctor works more than 40hours a week? What would be enough time for you to address or communicate issues? 3 months? A year? If you read other entries in other papers you will note that these issues have been in discussion for a long time beyond the November publication. Have you done an audit or inventory to say that the doctors are unreasonable?
At the end of it all, this needs to be fixed as soon as possible.
Ohhh, the majestic B. V. Islander, so proud, so learned, with a beauty to behold. An endangered species who unfortunately insist on ever barreling towards extinction. I thought this was a Christian society, full of Christian values, and Christian morals. So riddle me this "@ purple palace" why should they as decedents of the soil not tell the truth and shame the devil? Hugh Latimer
THEY COULD GOT SIT DOWN. HOW MANY OF THEM WORK AN EIGHT HOURS SHIFT. THEY COME SHOW THEM FACE AND DISAPPEARS.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE TREATED THAT WAY.
When white doctors in England stopped working last year, you called them courageous and fighting for equal rights.
Even with sick leaves that they can use, these doctors still worked and treated patients. Dont believe the media because they are also for senstionalism and selling news. What do you want to read more of - hospital with doctors OR hospital without doctors.
All these people, who commented here and posted nonsupport to these colored doctors of the island, are most likely blacks and DESCENDANTS OF SLAVES! And you wonder why blacks are still having slave mentality?
Blacks still preferred to be paid peanuts. But these doctors are not your ordinary colored people. Good for them because they were raised by their parents well. To fight for their rights.
Let the British Virgin Islands go down in history as the one place in the world where abuse at the hand of your employer does not go tolerated. As Arthur W. Hodge can attest. But by no means will BVIHSA suffer the same faith. Justice maybe delayed but it cannot be denied.
1. There is no nursing or medical school in this territory to teach people who are born and raised here to get the education they need for the profession they desire. Students have to leave and are offered better opportunities abroad. The world is a competitive place. Catch up BVI!
2. Even though staff is recruited from places all over the world, they still leave at the end of the minimum requirements to stay and go off to other parts of the caribbean and world where they get better offers.So please don't make it seem like the big fish are stealing the little fish from your pond due to big salaries. There are similar fish in a similar pond who can offer them better opportunities. Stop making excuses BVI!
3.NHI (National Health Insurance) or (NDP Hides It!). It's funny how you can go for the same procedure. You pay out of pocket, it's $5. You pay with NHI it's $15. I'm not asking. I'm telling. Where does that extra money go? I'm waiting...NHI (NDP Hides It!)
4. There are more foreign doctors than native doctors on island. So the person talking about their tax dollars sending doctors to school. Please take a flight and find those med students who never returned with their degree to help ayo out none at all living it up in the US, UK and abroad. Yes, Honey they went off and arrived elsewhere because when you make it as a doctor, you make it!
5. It's unfortunate that patients are the ones who suffer especially those who are very ill. If you continue to bear the hardships in silence, what outcomes do you expect? Not all doctors are on strike but the ones who aren't strike for the ones who aren't. Open up your minds. Escape the crabs at the bottom of the barrel mentality. Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. People of color never come together in solidarity for anything.
if they don't like the small money them getting just quit and go work for the big paper you want and stop bitching. BVIHSA don't have a gun to any of their heads they are free to leave.
"Democracy is not a spectator sport."