The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Doctors Union has raised concern at the delay of honorarium payments to junior physicians who worked on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19.

BDU assistant secretary general Dr Tina Mims voiced anger about the issue, saying many deserving doctors who had volunteered their services during the pandemic have not received the promised honorariums.

“We heard of individuals being paid who were not even healthcare staff. We heard of drivers being paid…but when it comes to the physicians again, we were placed on the back burner,” she said yesterday.

The physician said there were several agreements made between the BDU and the government concerning the roll-out of honorariums but stressed that officials have not yet lived up to all of their promises.

Dr Mims out of hundreds of eligible doctors, said only five physicians have actually received the honorariums to date.

“It was agreed after we presented our case and we entered into negotiations that an honorarium of $5,000 would be paid to those who signed up at the beginning of COVID and it was agreed that those persons would receive the $5,000 to the first group of practitioners who volunteered,” the healthcare worker said yesterday.

Her comments came during an appearance on the radio show The Hit Back with Nahaja Black.

“It was also agreed that the second group of those participants who later volunteered in October during the second wave that they would receive an honorarium on per grata basis and it was also agreed that as soon as the names and number of individuals was provided that payment will be made.

“It was also stated by the junior minister of finance that the government could find the money. This was (stated) on (August) 24, but on Wednesday, August 25, our president received a call from the prime minister advising that only one quarter of the amount will be due and would be paid before the end of the month,” she added.

Dr Mims said the situation has angered frontline workers, who now feel disrespected and mistreated.

“The issue that our members has is we feel grossly disrespected and that cannot apply and we cannot allow that to continue to happen because we are professionals and we work and if we don’t work, I don’t know what will happen to our healthcare system so we demand the respect that is due to the physicians who put their lives on the line every day at work,” she stressed.

For about eight days earlier this month, some health workers participated in a sick-out in protest of the government’s honorarium exercise.

The group said their frustrations stemmed from the fact that many deserving people did not get the gift while others who were not on the frontline of the COVID-19 fight have received the honorarium.

Speaking on the matter last week, Health Minister Renward Wells said officials were still involved in discussions with unions to resolve the matter.

Asked what’s next for BDU if the government does not issue the payments, Dr Mims replied: “I’m not at liberty to reveal that right now, but we will definitely be having a meeting and we’ll make a decision on what actually happens thereafter.”