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

VI needs health care workers to ‘come back home’- Hon Carvin Malone

- said VI affected by brain drain in health sector
The Ministry of Health in the Virgin Islands has made a desperate call for persons to take up multiple job opportunities in the territory’s healthcare system and is also calling on Virgin Islanders trained in the medical field, but residing overseas, to return and serve their home country. Photo: VINO/File
Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL) said the Virgin Islands needs its people who are trained medical professionals to return home to serve. Photo: Facebook
Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL) said the Virgin Islands needs its people who are trained medical professionals to return home to serve. Photo: Facebook
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI- The Ministry of Health in the Virgin Islands has made a desperate call for persons to take up multiple job opportunities in the territory’s healthcare system and is also calling on Virgin Islanders trained in the medical field, but residing overseas, to return and serve their home country.

“We need persons, we need persons trained, and we need our people to basically, come back home,” stressed Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL). 

The urgent need for human resources in the sector locally was re-emphasised during the VIP Let’s Talk show on ZBVI 780 AM last night January 18, 2022.

Brain drain

“We have a challenge throughout the world when it comes to medical assistance, because the developed countries are stealing away, so to speak, brain drain, persons who have been trained in their various places and this is creating a particular issue when it comes to maintaining some of the staff needed,” said Hon Malone.

He added that the VI has put out a particular programme where locals who are inclined to go into the health services at any level can do so, “because folks think that if you go into health you are gone in as a doctor or a nurse only, but there are so many opportunities in health, that you can do.”

The Health Minister noted; however, that healthcare workers are indispensable but other countries are demanding their services and offering attractive packages.

“So we have to do whatever we could to encourage our people to be trained in the services and we are working together with H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) we are working together with the education department in making sure that we look in terms of returning the nursing programme and to a number of other programmes that we intend to put in the field so then we can get our people trained.”

Attracting medical professionals

Asked by moderator of the show, Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5) what is Government doing to encourage medical professionals abroad to return, Hon Malone responded that this is being looked at.

“Well there are two or three ways because we have come to know that taking up your salaries alone wouldn’t do it because America prints money so they can always up your 20, 30, 40 percent or so but the BVI is not a bad place to live, it’s a great place to live so we would have to work with all of the disciplines, the ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour and Immigration to make sure that we can offer incentives to people who would like to put their roots here, offer their services here and they are not here because they have some US dollars to make but they are here because they would like to make here, the Virgin Islands, their homes.”

He said that currently Government is training some 9 to 13 persons to be First Responders, “And we will have more of this programme going on that we can get our people trained right here, right now.”

48 Responses to “VI needs health care workers to ‘come back home’- Hon Carvin Malone”

  • Untruth (19/01/2022, 13:00) Like (20) Dislike (4) Reply
    You untruth. You guys don't need anybody
    • mad people (23/01/2022, 04:15) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      THEY REALLY DONT BECAUSE WHEN THEY COME THEY STARTS TO TREAT THEM LIKE SLAVES AND ANIMALS , THEY ARE ALWAYS BASHING AT EXPATS, LET THEM TAKE THERE KIDS , MOM AND DAD TO DO THE WORK , OR ITS TIME THAT THOSE IN MANAGEMENT COME DOWN TO WORK INSTEAD OF WALKING AROUND ALL DAY DOING NOTING WHAT SOEVER
  • musa (19/01/2022, 13:04) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    Relly then that come with a price because most time they on contract.
  • Home away from home (19/01/2022, 13:04) Like (32) Dislike (18) Reply
    I’m not coming home to be forced to take these shots. I’m getting paid well abroad and doing what I love. I’ll come home when things get better.
  • NezRez (19/01/2022, 13:05) Like (38) Dislike (1) Reply
    Really? The Nurses in the states make twice as much as here. They can’t afford to live here at our salaries. When my sister retired as a R.N. 3 years ago, she was making $67,000. Why would she come out of retirement to make half? She is still young enough to work and has no mortgage.
    • @NezRez (20/01/2022, 00:49) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      She is better off enjoying her retirement and all the perks. She was making $67,000 as a RN, Just imagine if she was a LPN or a Private Duty nurse.The nurses here makes nothing and that is a SHAME.
  • for what (19/01/2022, 13:24) Like (47) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yall got that come back money?. Lets be real cost of living too high in the BVI and the salaries are too low. why would we really expect people to leave their lives to come back? What incentive do they have?. Until the government admits that this is a true problem you'll keep begging.
  • Experienced RN (19/01/2022, 13:44) Like (31) Dislike (0) Reply
    I’ve been away for quite some time now. I want to come back, but the pay. I have a family, how will I afford rent and everything else on that pay. Who do I need to speak to? They also
    Need a nursing school on Tortola. What’s holding them back from doing that?
  • Really Now (19/01/2022, 13:55) Like (30) Dislike (1) Reply
    When I came home for a week I was told to come hone and help out in your field I came back because I see where I could have made a difference in a very big way so I had a house that I purchase while I was away and moved back and applied for a job right now it’s nine years since I’ve been waiting for my second interview with the PSC commission I was offered a job but they wanted me to fire someone and I am not about that snd you want people to come back here to be victimized in this place ,not only that your coming home and the kind of money that customs charges you ,you would have thought that you were not born here and you are returning home they treat you like your a criminal in your home from my experience never again
  • Slap you (19/01/2022, 14:01) Like (19) Dislike (0) Reply
    Start recruiting from the High school. Get students interested in careers in the health care field. Make a basic nursing school
    • Bonds (20/01/2022, 07:06) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      I think he maybe referring to those nurses that the Government sent away to school...If so, why don't the AG get involved if contracts were signed.......
  • NO HR (19/01/2022, 14:16) Like (35) Dislike (0) Reply
    They take too long to recruit anybody. There is no HR. You have to be calling and calling and calling HR to get any attention. They need trained people who can respond to prospective candidates. This lackadaisical attitude will only attract the bottom of the pile.
    • @NO HRA (20/01/2022, 00:40) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      TRUE, TRUE AND TRUE. SO DAMN TRUE. 100% TRUE. DO THEY REALLY THINK THAT ANYONE IS GOING TO LEAVE THEIR GOOD PAYING JOB IN AMERICA TO COME BACK? HELLLLLLL NO. AMERICA MIGHT HAVE ITS UPS AND DOWNS BUT THAT IS WHERE YOU MAKE YOUR MONEY.
  • Taking Care (19/01/2022, 14:28) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
    Take care of what you have first. They are not even offering a decent pension. If I go work with ministry of education with less risk involve and long summer holidays I will get about 8% pension while the Hospital will offer only 3.5 %. Is that taking care of your workers? Its not just talk, it needs a systematic approach.
  • Concerned (19/01/2022, 14:50) Like (26) Dislike (0) Reply
    There is no incentive to come back. A BVIslander can longer be permanent and pensionable under BVIHSA, no yearly increments, no shift differential, no uniform allowance and poor wages! Really? Cost of living in BVI too high for the earnings
  • APB (19/01/2022, 14:54) Like (12) Dislike (13) Reply
    The problem with blogging is that most times you could do it anonymously. Most of these posts are done by persons from right here pretending to be Nurses from overseas. Another thing, they are concerned about is money. I know in today's world that is important but what about love for people and Country? I am glad that there are still persons here who have been toiling for years under many difficult conditions but because of love for their chosen profession they continue to serve and these include teachers. I am not asking anyone to be Mother Theressa but life is not all about money. A lot of people are living abroad under less favorable conditions than would if they were home. They are just too proud to admit it.
  • musa (19/01/2022, 15:06) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I said education and agriculture needed that all.
  • I say so (19/01/2022, 15:43) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    The government is not training anybody to be first responders, stop lie they are paying for it out of there own pockets. And another thing do you have come home money to pay me when and if they do come home to work. Cause you have people who don't know jack sh*t that get paid more than
  • They Tried..Work with what u have (19/01/2022, 15:56) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lot of them already came back. But the working conditions the small pay, the Rat race, the power struggle. The unprofessionalism they ran back to America...Mr Minister focus on who you have, love them. Care for them. treat them right. Fix the present problems like lateness. Weak and unprofessional supervisors and managers....Train them. Listen more to the lower ranks they will tell you all the problems..
    • BRENDA (23/01/2022, 04:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      YOU ARE SO VERY CORRECT ,BUT MR MARLONE FAIL TO SEE THAT SO LET HIM BE BLIND TO THAT, AND LET HIM CONTINUE TO COVER UP
  • They Tried..Work with what u have (19/01/2022, 15:56) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lot of them already came back. But the working conditions the small pay, the Rat race, the power struggle. The unprofessionalism they ran back to America...Mr Minister focus on who you have, love them. Care for them. treat them right. Fix the present problems like lateness. Weak and unprofessional supervisors and managers....Train them. Listen more to the lower ranks they will tell you all the problems..
  • Tortolian, USA (19/01/2022, 16:29) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    I work as a LPN surgical nurse in one of the major hospitals in NYC. I am considering a move back to Tortola in the next year or two however, my pay scale have to match what I am now making. Nurses in the BVI does not make the pay scale for the volume of work that they are required to do. To all of you that think or say a person is just a nurse, nursing is a very hard job. Try pulling a straight 16 hour shift with 6 different patients that requires your attention and care..
    • @tortolian usa (19/01/2022, 20:23) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      Stay in New York. Returning might be the worst decision of your life especially if you are a US citizen. You might not be able to adapt to the toxic environment - in and out of the hospital
  • @APB (19/01/2022, 16:32) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Concerned about money?Tell that to the Supermarkets,stores,gas stations,government services,apartments etc. who lately has just been raising prices in times like these. Just think about it for a moment. Everything went up except certain people salaries. Let that digest before you speak.
    • Be Frank (20/01/2022, 03:19) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Everything went up except healtbcare workers salary. They don't get inctements., they don't have salary reviews, there is a miniscule pension and not one of the Minister of Health have seek to addtess this gaping issue.
      • DEDE (20/01/2022, 09:08) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        The former Minister of Health give them the money to pay raises twice. They used to money for everything else except pay those increments. He tried to hold them accountable but you know what happened. The current one I doubt following up on this. We need our raises atleast I do.
  • I THINK (19/01/2022, 16:34) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Rather than opening a Medical School in the BVI, they should open a Nursing School first. I am interested in going into the nursing field.
  • jah (19/01/2022, 17:08) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    The policy that come with the government financing scholarship for students are stupid just as the one who create it..when you financial support a student with government money they have to come back an give their services to the government or repay what the government have spent..tell how much have come back to work in the bvi after the government spent so much..yet majority are expats doing the priority when some just sit on a desk signing things that they dont even understand.
    • ... (20/01/2022, 10:51) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      The problem is when you come back home they don't hire! You have to wait sooo long!
  • crazy (19/01/2022, 17:17) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Come back home for ayo to knock them about?
    • @crazy (20/01/2022, 00:25) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      You are so correct, They love to do that. My son studied Environmental Science and when he came back home looking to get a job he was given all kind of excuses so he went back to the States and got a job with DEP, Department of Environmental Protection. I think when you go to America to study they seem get intimidated or something. So don’t get mad when most choose not to come back. Come back to what.
  • DEDE (19/01/2022, 18:30) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    Well Mr. Minister they will return home when those at the head treat them right. Here a situation for you. I have two children studied medicine and return home only to be on a waiting list. Every time they ask about jobs they get all kinds of excuses. No vancancies or they need something from the school they went to. They just give up a return back to the US. They other day they calling me looking for them and have the nerve to tell me to tell them they need to send a updated application. I nosy so I ask why, she say they just get to their application. I told her that they overseas and will contact them. I laugh and hang up. My daughter told me what they wanted.

    My next issue is a young man they keep hiring with a criminal history. They have let him go three times but he still get a job while our young graduates having a hard time with all the run around they giving them. This person not Virgin Islander and has no high school diploma but the he there. How is that possible.
  • plain and simple (19/01/2022, 19:11) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Open a Nursing School in the BVI. Everyone that graduate High School does not plan to attend College, College is not for everyone. Offer the training, A trained nurse can go anywhere in the World and get a job.
  • But for real, America (19/01/2022, 21:39) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    The nurses in the BVI makes a nurses Aide salary. No one that is in the Nursing profession in America from the BVI is going to leave nursing in America to come back unless they are retired from nursing. To much to loose. We get our uniform allowances, if we purchase our uniforms we get reimbursed, time and a half, yearly increments, paid leave, paid vacation time, shift differential. Another thing, America love to hire nurses from the Caribbean Islands. Why? because they are the ones that love the profession and is dedicated to nursing.
  • RNs abroad. (20/01/2022, 02:46) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Listen, we do need a nursing school in the BVI. Other Caribbean islands have them. I’m a nurse living away and is in school for nurse practitioner. Yes I’m more than happy to come back to my home Country and give back but I refuse to take knock bout especially when they have nurses like that Angela Williams at the hospital acting like she running things. She was horrible to us as young nursing students. But either way if the pay is right, I don’t mind returning. It was so bad I even agreed to pay them back. When I applied In 2014, they said they are on a hiring freeze. I packed my bags and came back to America. Train your own, build up your own. Pay us properly. We have people sitting on the board making more money than how much we would make. . I’m fed up Mr. minister. Please point me in the direction of who I need to speak with about returning and getting a suitable pay. But when I come back, my experience, training and expertise need to count.
  • Love (20/01/2022, 03:53) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
    It begins with love for your country. Remember that your country paid the bills for you to get that education. The money came from the taxpayers. Before leaving the territory they knew the service was needed, they knew finances were low and at the same time they knew they were chosen so they could return and serve. On completion they allow greed to set in. They preferred to stay in America for more money. They forget who raised them. It is sad to see those you expected to build the country turn their backs on the place that raised them.
    • @Love (20/01/2022, 10:10) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      the shcolarship is chicken feed, it barely helps. we still have to get loans, and the poor salary here u cant live. country dont love u back and doesnt pay your bills
  • My!My ! (20/01/2022, 07:39) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Treat you nurses well
    Did they get paid overtime for working Christmas and New Years Day ??
    Check it out Mr Malone … provide incentives for those here on the ground . Then others will follow
  • Seriously? (20/01/2022, 10:09) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    you treat educated locals horribly across the Board. you dont pay them and treat them like trash for love of country. Why should they return, to clean the muck you created. You dont listen tot eh professionals and experts and the BVIHSA is an absolute muck
  • Sue said it (20/01/2022, 10:13) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    That is the BVI’s lost and America’s gain. The BVI run their finest away, to much micro managing and unfairness going on. How is it that Board members is making more than a Nurse. Does Board members know how to administer a injection or know what vein in the arm to insert a IV needle? Treat your nurses with the respect and fairness they deserve then you will have a better running Hospital. I say, the Medical Board should be run by Nurses and Doctors only.
  • Smh (20/01/2022, 10:33) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I know of many Virgin Islanders who have applied and left because they were ignored while we import others everyday.
  • @Love (20/01/2022, 10:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I love my county, some tried to come back but they never took them on. Money has a lot to do with it. I’m sure you yourself not working for please and thank you. When and if you in that situation, then you could talk. Until then sit down somewhere…please.
  • Hmm (20/01/2022, 10:45) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Come back home they say. When you come back home the wait to get hired is sooo long, it's ridiculous! Come back home?! They have them working 12hr shifts on a 8hr salary!! No incentives, no shift differentials, no appreciation for the ones there! Come back home?!! What are we really coming back home to?!!! No it's not all about money but how can we come back home to work in a toxic environment such as the BVIHSA? Come again Minister!
    • keith (23/01/2022, 04:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      YES LET HIM REPLAY AND COME BACK AGAIN ,THE BVIHSA IS NON APPRECIATIVE OF THIER HARD WORKING STAFF, ,SOON THERE WILL BE TOTALLY EMPTY
    • lisa (27/03/2022, 14:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I worked at Peebles back in the day when Geraldine Norman was the Matron. (This was many many years ago. God rest her soul. It was a pleasure back then and things were not at its best. I have since left. Went to the USA got an education resulting in three degrees. I am respected, appreciated with commendations , highly paid why would I want to return to a place where I am over qualified?
  • jah know (20/01/2022, 14:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Salary to cost of living ratio in the BVI is not adding up compared to abroad.
  • down2earth (20/01/2022, 18:16) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I look forward to the day when more of our brilliant young minds return!
    Minister for Health make it possible -
    1. No-hassle shipped home belongings at Customs,
    2. Make loans available for purchase of land/home
    3. Extend same courtesy as that extended to expatritate workers on contract
    4. I'm sure you can think of other long-term , hassle-free incentives



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.