The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

UP to 300 healthcare workers participated in a sick-out for a sixth straight day yesterday despite an effort by Public Hospitals Authority leaders to resolve their concerns.

Bahamas Public Services Union president Kimsley Ferguson confirmed union leaders met the PHA’s managing director, human resources director and chairman on Monday afternoon to discuss their concerns.

“Only decisive action can satisfy the concerns we have,” he said yesterday.

 Workers are participating in a sick-out in protest of the government’s honorarium exercise. They say some deserving people did not get the gift while some who were not on the frontline of the COVID-19 fight have received the honorarium.

 “We were told that a list is forthcoming for us to peruse for our consideration,” Mr Ferguson said. “If there are people not on that list, we can make additions with relevant justifications and submit the list to PHA and PHA will consider the changes. They will determine if those people qualify and another list will indicate who will be paid.”

 Lists of people who would receive gifts of between $1,000 and $5,000 were leaked last week. Mr Ferguson said PHA officials told them they don’t know where those lists came from.

“I wasn’t very impressed with them,” he said. “The perception I got was that these people were appointed to try and clean up the damage that was already done. I thought it was disingenuous because I asked about the process of putting together the lists and it was indicated that some departmental reps were advised to compile persons who they thought would qualify to receive the honorariums, but these lists appeared to come from different organisations.”

 Mr Ferguson said PHA could not present a document clearly showing the criteria for getting honorariums.

 On Monday, Health Minister Renward Wells said his driver and personal assistant will return the gifts of more than $1,000 they were given. Mr Wells said he did not recommend that anyone get the money.

 That Mr Wells’ driver and personal assistant will return the money does not change the position of healthcare workers, Mr Ferguson said. The fact that they were on the list calls the credibility of the list into question, he said.

 In a statement yesterday, PHA again warned people they should expect delays accessing services because of the staff sick-out.