Conflicting reports! Health Minister says hospital nurses not on strike
Health Minister Carvin Malone has denied reports that nurses at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital in Road Town are staging a silent protest.
BVI News understands that the nurses are from multiple units at the hospital and they have been on a sickout since the weekend.
In an interview today, Minister Malone confirmed that nurses have been ill. However, he said this is not related any ‘sickout’
“There are no reported strike actions that were reported to me or confirmed by me,” Malone explicitly said.
“I have noted with interest the reports that are emerging from different media concerning the possibility of a nursing strike … In my review of this and information reaching to me, they have stated that there were two to three reports of nurses that were falling ill. As you would have recalled, there were issues of the COVID-19 that we had with a number of nurses — it had numbered as many as 120 at one point — and we were having challenges it that regard. It has not been reported to me any credible issue of nursing strikes,” the minister further said.
Conflicting reports
After hearing the minister’s statements this afternoon, BVI News contacted sources within the local medical fraternity. One senior physician attached to the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital explicitly told our news centre that nurses have indeed been on strike.
According to the senior doctor who spoke with us on the condition of anonymity, the nurses are disgruntled by unsatisfactory salaries, general working conditions, and what was described as corruption among the hospital’s management.
“Everybody is so upset with the system,” the physician told BVI News.
A recently published report on an audit conducted on the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) alleged that salary increases and compensation payouts may have been given to certain BVIHSA staff without proper authority or compliance with established procedures. Among other things, these allegations led to the dismissals of BVIHSA CEO Cedorene Patricia Malone-Smith and Human Resource Manager, Levor Lettsome.
“The management and board of directors of the HSA will be addressing the particular reports that are coming out on many fronts,” Minister Malone said in reports to these emerging reports.
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I don’t even know if the minister have any idea of what really going on at the Hospital.
how can he? he spends most of his time at his office on the beach. Set of jokers!
he never said there was no sick out .he only said it was not reported to him. That doesn’t mean it is not true. Another one of his tricks, but do not worry ,time is longer than twine. THE TRUTH WILL SOON BE KNOWN
Someone right on this new site blogged once…..
‘but for truth, there is no deadline’
LOOKS LIKE HE ADOPTED TRUMP STYLE NOW / CHECK OUT THE HANDS ✋ ? ? ✋
this man always pretend like he never knows what is happening , always covering up ,no wonder all that money gone and he never see a ting , thanks andew fahie had many eyes he could see and put a stop but by now de swamp must be dry dry dry , when will he see , the doctor says as it is , he is more that accurate . pay the health care providers and stop letting management steal the money
The Minister & Ghetto D**a are cousins, so I doubt she will face any type of consequences. He needs to lead by example by sending her A$$ to P***ON!!
Malone I thought you did not lie like your Premier but now I lose confidence in Ministers
Nurses are on a deliberate SICK OUT not COVID related sick .
What Minister do not know what is going on in the affairs of such an outstanding department; one. That was a control the lives and well being of the people of this country !!
You are now showing your incompetence as a leader in the Dept and not fit to run the affairs of this country for a next term !!
COI please come in and run this country for a little time and teach these Mimisters what it means to run the affairs of a country . Shame on you CARVIN
THIS GUY KNOWS ALL WHATS GOING ON AND LET P** DRAG THIS NICE PLACE DOWN TO THE DOGS, AND HAVING THE STAFF BEING SO SHAMED OF THIER SELF , HE COVERS UP TOO MUCH,EVEN THE COVID UPDATES HE GIVES WRONG INFO.
ANDREW FAHIE NEED TO INTERVEN ASAP LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE OR ELSE THIS INSTITUTION WILL SUDDENLY COLLAPSE, VERY SAD INDEED
When it’s not the teachers on strike it’s the nurses. The Ministry of Education and Health need to take better care of their respective staff. These particular institutions are vital to the country.
No point in striking for a cause if you dont publicize it. Why nothing in the news media?
Just like how he killed the incinerator he killing the hospital same way
Why do politicians play these games? They make you believe they going to move mountains during their campaign then go in office and just do crap! You have 1 job look after health care! WTH is going on? You have people doing what the heck they want with taxpayers money where are the bosses?
At the end of the day we gotta throw this minister out in the woods
Ever since the out of the woods minister made it look like that Filipino lady did not call the hospital for help before she died, I do not believe a word he says anymore. They demonized that lady. Made the community curse her out when in fact it was the fault of health services who sent her back home twice.
Hold up, W H A T ?!
She went to seek treatment, and was sent home…twice???
@SHAUN, Why are you calling on Andrew Fahie FAHIE to intervene ASAP when he already knows what’s going on and he is no better than any of his ministers.