By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune News Editor
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Doctors Union (BDU) president Dr Camille Glinton-Thompson defended her union’s stance on overtime compensation and time-tracking requirements, pushing back against Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ recent comments that suggested doctors are resisting accountability measures.
Dr Glinton-Thompson’s remarks came during an appearance on Morning Blend on Guardian Radio 96.9, in which she noted that the BDU’s industrial agreement expired in 2017 and the union has spent more than two years negotiating an updated pact with the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA), only for talks to collapse last year when officials introduced a new article concerning time and attendance just before the planned signing.
“We had a date that we were going to meet at the OPM office and sign,” she said. “Then I got a call at about nine o’clock the night before saying we can’t go. There’s a new article that we inserted that you guys need to sign.”
Dr Glinton-Thompson insisted that doctors are not opposed to recording their attendance but want guarantees in writing that they will be compensated for all overtime — particularly the long, consecutive hours they work on call.
She noted that if a clock-in system is introduced, costs could be exorbitant given the amount of hours doctors work.
Swiping, she said, is not the issue.
“The issue is that in order for us to do this, it needs to be clear and it needs to be signed off and agreed upon that this is the manner,” she said. “Because if I’m working 32 hours, which I do every week, I want to be paid the additional hours that I work.”
Dr Glinton-Thompson comments follow industrial action by healthcare workers, which drew criticism from Mr Davis last week.
He said healthcare workers “have resisted calls for a time-tracking system, making it difficult for the government to approve their overtime demands”. Dr Glinton-Thompson countered this view, emphasising that doctors meticulously document every patient encounter and procedure in medical dockets, which she believes should already substantiate hours worked.
“Oh, I was very disappointed and sad,” she said of Mr Davis’ comments.
“We stand on that, like I said, as when we enter the hospital from the first patient we see, we’re making notes from the first from any phone call. Everything is documented, everything that a physician, that any physician, it has to be signed off on. This is a person’s life.”
During the radio interview, Dr Glinton-Thompson also noted the union’s concern about the strain on the public purse, suggesting a middle ground where the government and doctors can compromise on fair compensation without incurring excessive costs.
“Let’s go to the table and let’s figure out a middle; let’s figure out a way where there can be compensation in some form without exhausting the public purse because the hours are ridiculous,” she said.
Last night, during a speech at a Progressive Liberal Party constituency association meeting, Mr Davis underscored his appreciation for medical professionals but doubled down on the need for time-tracking protocols.
He praised the strides made with nurses — citing better pay, benefits, and additional support as proof of his administration’s commitment to healthcare workers — and noted his personal gratitude for doctors, recalling how they saved his life when he battled COVID-19. Still, he stressed that signing in and out is not about distrust, but rather “safety and fairness,” ensuring hospitals remain secure and overtime hours are correctly documented. “I’m ready to sign a deal,” Mr Davis said, calling for continued dialogue to finalise a fair agreement for both sides.
Meanwhile, the Medical Association of the Bahamas’ president, Dr Gemma Rolle, has expressed concern over what she views as unfair portrayals of doctors, saying negative characterisations undermine the profession’s real dedication to patient care.
In a statement yesterday, she said depicting doctors as greedy overlooks the personal sacrifices they make, often working long hours and facing heavy emotional burdens to preserve lives.
She called for respectful dialogue and mutual empathy from the public and government, arguing that effective communication is essential for resolving longstanding issues and maintaining quality healthcare services.
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