‘I stand with the doctors’ – Sharie B. de Castro
Posting on her Facebook page, Ms de Castro, who contested the 2015 snap elections as an At Large candidate on the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) ticket, cried shame on the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government for the salary scale of some local medical personnel.
"Do not ask me what about the patients in the hospital! I do not want to hear it. What about the doctors? Reality check! The following was disclosed by Minister of Health Hon Ronnie [W.] Skelton in the House of Assembly. Can you believe that there is a registered nurse in the BVI (a BVIslander) making $16,738.50 annually? As in that registered nurse makes that in one year! Like I mean she makes that in 365 days! That is criminal behavior! It must be a mistake or a typo maybe? I am willing to entertain that it is or there is of course an explanation. However, I said that to overemphasize the fact that even when I multiply that figure by 2, the total still must be a typo. There is no explanation for that. No matter how you twist it and turn it, the salary range for doctors and nurses in the BVI is... sickening," Ms de Castro wrote on Facebook yesterday, February 20, 2017.
According to the former Miss British Virgin Islands, the strike by the doctors is for "valid reasons."
"The doctors are on strike for valid reasons. The requests that they have made are practical and reasonable. Doctors and nurses may not have chosen medicine for purely financial reasons. However, earning a decent salary certainly can help to give them and their family a good quality of life! After all those years of study, exams and on calls, wouldn’t you like to be compensated fairly? For the record, I do not believe that a doctor will sit down and watch patients in serious distress and do nothing. I believe that they will stand on their ethics and give medical attention. However, it is absolutely necessary for them to take a unified stance such as a strike so that administrators can see how serious they are. I stand with the doctors," added de Castro.
Doctors prepared to quit
Meanwhile, this news site was told that the Board of Directors of the BVI Health Services Authority met today, February 21, 2017 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.
"We sick from the frustration. No one seems to care we are being used, we are being over worked and to think this is Black History Month, oh my God, this is slavery all over again but in another form," said one of the doctors.
The doctors have also maintained that their strike action is justifiable.
“We are not being unfair we are being unfairly treated. It seems the administration of this country has their heads stuck in all the wrong directions with their pride, venting on the wrong people for the wrong reasons and the repercussions are these," said another doctor.
Several of the doctors indicated that they were prepared to call it quits should their issues not be addressed in an amicable way and without bias.
63 Responses to “‘I stand with the doctors’ – Sharie B. de Castro”
I understand one of the lead doctors in this is running on the VIP ticket so all this might be political staging to further infuriate the people as it concerns the NDP administration. Be vigilant and know all the facts before you take sides.
Your problem is you don't even know yourself. See how you change your name two times already.
What does Sharie know about this situation? Does she has direct information or is she posturing and playing politics? As a young educated person she needs to be careful and strategic. You cannot comment publicly on things that you don't have all the information about. It's funny how the Hospital workers should get a raise but nobody wants to pay a raise in fees, as sensible people how the £$%^ can we behave like this? The only way hospital workers can get a raise is if fees are raised. The Hospital pays its staff from revenue generated, that's common sense. I wonder if deCastro will stand with Minister Skelton and the HSA CEO when they do a review of fees and increase accordingly so that the workers' salaries can be increased as well?
Sharie don't mind the naysayers who continue to bad mouth you. Doctors stand up for your rights because no one will do it for you.
one has to be strategic and tactical on issues. One has to be armed with the full story (his side, your side and the truth) before projecting off the launch pad. Medical professionals provide essential and critical services. Under the terms and conditions of employment, medical professionals are or should be classified as essential employees. Doctors getting the "White Flu" well that is something altogether.
You guys have to think this through? If yall don't want to help then why did yall want to be a doctor?