Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Over a month later still no action on salary increase for public medical staff

April 5th, 2017 | Tags: salary increase strike wages protest BVIHSA
Doctors and other medical personnel of the BVI Health Services Authority staged a strike via a sickout around February 20, 2017 over wages and working conditions. Photo: VINO/File
CEO of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), Mrs Paula G. Chester-Cumberbatch (inset) could not be reached up to time of publication. The BVIHSA manages the Peebles Hospital. Photo: VINO/File
CEO of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), Mrs Paula G. Chester-Cumberbatch (inset) could not be reached up to time of publication. The BVIHSA manages the Peebles Hospital. Photo: VINO/File
In this letter obtained by our newsroom dated March 11, 2017 to nurses, it sets out how the salary review will be addressed, but to date there has been no action on a wage increase. Photo: VINO
In this letter obtained by our newsroom dated March 11, 2017 to nurses, it sets out how the salary review will be addressed, but to date there has been no action on a wage increase. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- It was around February 20, 2017 that doctors and other medical personnel who work for the state-owned BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) staged a strike via a sickout over lack of adequate salaries and poor working conditions.

In particular, local doctors and nurses were frustrated with the discrimination in benefits and allowances as compared to overseas medical workers brought in to the Virgin Islands on contract when local medical professionals have more experience than them.

The issues that led to the sickout also included years of promises by the BVI Health Services Authority Board to address the concerns as well as how local medical professionals feel they are treated.

One of the leaders of the industrial action, Dr Craig K. Stoutt, told the media in February that in addition, medical personnel felt “abused, disrespected and overworked by the Health Services Authority.”

Still no salary increase weeks later

In exchange for the strike to end, the Board of the BVI Health Services Authority announced in February 2017 that all concerns of the medical personnel and other employees will be addressed, via increasing salaries for all categories of workers.

Word reaching our newsroom is that almost a month later nothing has changed in terms of addressing salaries and other concerns raised by the Medical Doctors Association.

It remains unclear when they will be addressed and if the lack of action will lead to another strike by public medical staff.

In a letter obtained by our newsroom dated March 11, 2017 to nurses, it sets out how the salary review will be addressed, but to date there has been no action on a wage increase, which has continued to cause low staff morale and much stress for employees, especially at Peebles Hospital.

Efforts to reach the CEO of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), Mrs Paula G. Chester-Cumberbatch were not successful up to time of publication.

27 Responses to “Over a month later still no action on salary increase for public medical staff”

  • ABC (05/04/2017, 17:32) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    They broke...
  • ndp (05/04/2017, 17:57) Like (23) Dislike (0) Reply
    A PROMISE IS A COMFORT TO A FOOL
  • tretretrete (05/04/2017, 17:59) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    Get rid of the board and some of the executive staff...the place needs cleansing
  • chad (05/04/2017, 18:10) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    These people is some jokers.....pay the staff and maybe they would be willing to put in the work....in business happy staff means happy customers means increases services
  • Jacperlance (05/04/2017, 18:44) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well it's years now Civil servants have not get a raise of salary but the prices of goods and commodities does up every minute, possibly seconds too
    • Audrey (05/04/2017, 19:41) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      That's true and don't know when we will ever get one and their performance appraisal setup to fail us cant even your self a 3 its questionable while they save their pockets
    • love for country (06/04/2017, 07:09) Like (3) Dislike (11) Reply
      Civil Servants should be thankful that they have a job. The Public Service is too large and eats a huge chunk of the recurrent expenditure. In other places, with the world economy going down, the Public Service would have been cut. Only in the BVI things such as this happens yet people are being ungrateful.
    • Jack Palance (06/04/2017, 11:13) Like (2) Dislike (14) Reply
      These pseudo medical staff who will ignore their oath and go on strike are worthy of their license being revoked. They need to hop on LIAT and return to their countries where they would enjoy cheap prices,cheaper labour and a very cheap life. BVI needs to replace them with UK Cuban US Canadians Filipinos..
  • insider (05/04/2017, 20:40) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    They fool you all just a scam to take heat off the ndp
  • wize up (05/04/2017, 20:46) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    why the people are subjected to such poor treatment;
  • staff (05/04/2017, 21:19) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
    they paying millions for certification and meditech software but can't pay us ... who will work this new software ..... PS. HR manager should go
  • Humble oats (05/04/2017, 22:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Den preaching genocide. Likkey tanga.
  • poor (05/04/2017, 22:59) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Construction Workers getting paid more !
  • Time hard (06/04/2017, 05:31) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    What about the construction workers salaries increase????
  • lord o. (06/04/2017, 06:31) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
    Things so rough in the place. The government broke. Tell them relax or go private and milk NHI like the rest.
  • Constructionworker (06/04/2017, 07:18) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
    @poor. Construction workers work harder that is y their pay is higher. Money cannot change attitude and while i agree these medical people should be paid, some of them are just too rude and unprofessional.
  • reality (06/04/2017, 09:20) Like (2) Dislike (12) Reply
    Everywhere else in the world people are thankful for a job, especially working for the State/Government. But here people are demanding increases and additional jobs. Time alone!
  • wow (06/04/2017, 09:59) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    Its their fault... If you ask me they shouldn't have even come back to work until they see their money.
  • cay (06/04/2017, 10:58) Like (0) Dislike (9) Reply
    Bring back john cline
    • @ cay (06/04/2017, 12:41) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
      John Cline is the cause of all this mess. Because they all afraid of him. They wait until he leaves.
  • Street Reporter. Wrong cause. (06/04/2017, 12:37) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    Why they didn't strike when they realized the hospital has no heart unit, no cancer unit two of the real serious illnesses affected our people, two of the most expensive to care for now we have to out source millions of our dollars for those treatment monies that would have stayed here. Why they didn't strike over that huge useless lobby that should have been 6 or 8 single private rooms bring more monies in. Then they will be getting raise without asking. Monies with be in the Kitty.
  • Yes (06/04/2017, 15:40) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    So BVIHSA Board and Management thought they could outrun the 2 week news cycle. lol
  • who to blame (06/04/2017, 20:31) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This been going on awhile now.them dont care about the small man example staff who work at inthe kitchen cleaner and other department.they want to treat u like u is nobody.
  • Yes (07/04/2017, 05:45) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    One way to pay them more is to have less of them. The place is pregnant with staff falling over each other.
  • 911 (07/04/2017, 19:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lowly society
  • concern (09/04/2017, 21:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    BVIHSA CEO needs to look at the persons that is bringing down the organization with their bad attitude. 
    Clean the place up and don't trust them wicked. CEO they don't like you.Them say you screening..everything they do. The smiles is not good smiles be wise.



Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.