Hospital sacking security guards to get better service
Skelton
Government is laying off the 16 security officers currently assigned to Peebles Hospital to improve security services at the medical facility.
Health Minister Ronnie Skelton gave that indication on Thursday while confirming that the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) is outsourcing the hospital’s security contract to a more competent unit.
The move might be more costly to the hospital, the minister said.
“It’s more about security at the hospital, especially during times of critical patients. The money sometimes might take a back seat,” Skelton said in the House of Assembly.
He said government plans to publicly advertise and invite companies to vie for the contract of providing security to the state-owned hospital.
Minister Skelton also said the entire process will last six months and at the end of that period, the current security unit at the facility will be sacked.
However, Skelton said each security guard that is laid off will receive the appropriate ‘entitlements’ such as severance pay.
He also said they will have the option of transferring to other departments within the BVIHSA or seek employment with the new security firm that will be selected.
The outgoing security officers have expressed surprise and disappointment about losing their jobs.
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No, this is the first step to NDP PRIVATISATION of various government departments. Watch out BVI, import of cheap labour, they get a secret cut of the pie and a high rate of islanders unemployed. Time to stand up to them. NOW!!!
Did you miss the part where he said it would cost more not less? Have you been to the hospital or any other health service locations? The security is garbage.
It had cost us the tax payers more to build the same hospital when he had told us back then that it will cost us less.
I do not agree with you. I visited the hospital on numerous occasions and those with whom I have interacted were very pleasant and went above and beyond the call of duty to assist.
Not so much CEAP labor, but men/women that WILL work. It just proves Neville Sorrentino is correct. Government cannot run anything like private business does.
Here goes top priority with a bag of island man….why pay more to a security firm that would only be paying it’s staff direct minimum wage and think u going get better service.. why not use the same money that u now going to pay the new firm to provide proper security training for the 16 officers rather than laying them off
very good point
Because they are untrainable. SOME dogs will never learn new tricks. #DNA
Security officers had the required training at the hlscc with the rvip along with the security firm from england.the problem there at peebles.how could you put an Information technology to run security.they security was run by a senior rvip who is a local with years of experence.who they would not let do his job.the ceo is a f——-,what has she done for the time being therein oder for health services to move forward? … bring in new people.you cant build a hundred million hospital and have g————- mentality.
Why not use that same money and bring in a team to train your officers in the areas that you need most?why take away jobs from them to give to others? We need to stop digging new hole to fill old ones.
This is just CRAZY! First of all it doesn’t pass the primary “SMELL TEST”! If there is a lack of security or untrained workers, resolve that internally! Train the people there, don’t run outside for help! Please follow the $$$$ in this plan and see who is benifiting the most !
Those same island men are trained and re-trained at no cost to them. They know what to do and when; they just are not allowed to carry guns. (Top Priority takes care of the bill.)
Those same island men are well mannered and efficient. Have you been to any establishment where they are situated?
Furthermore, give me the name of one Tortolian, besides the owner, who is willing to do the job of being a security officer. And yes; the owner pays to go for his own training as well.
Aren’t we over this island man sugar-hog-it by now? Aren’t the locals the ones who fled this country after the hurricanes?
What island man is mannered that is not the truth or in your language” ah lie you ah tell” them suckers going be the next statistic around here watch and see!!!
Trained u say? Incase u missed it most of the security who works for top priority was security where they are from so they came with that experience…. however sadly with there experience they only gets $6 an hour…..
The officers had the required training.you cannot have information technology running security thats where they failed.it required a security manager who reports directly to the C.E.O.
Thought Ronnie was one of the few good NDP ministers but you too now must go. Makes no sense firing people to give to a firm I’m sure has people already employed and securing other places already. So Mr. Minister you’re just adding to the unemployment rate
I always told you all that this man doesn’t —-. He is the w—– one and the r——–.
So for six months the 16 soonto be without jobs are going to care about how they do their work? Great idea on how to improve service! Common sense in the BVI is not common in the NDP! How much longer can the people of the BVI suffer under the cabal? UK needs to step in and soon.
Don’t worry Skeleton. You will surely be sack in the next election… Watch out.
I love your post. Just can’t be trusted.
Whats in it for the “No Direction Ministers” ? that’s the real question – there will be a slice of pie to be shared no doubt….since when did they suddenly wake up and feel burdened about hospital security? more to follow I fear and I feel sorry for the present security team, they already are paid low and not really respected – talk about lowering their moral further, next the fire service and civil service in Government…time to move maybe to somewhere else where you are respected and treated right?
Sam your right! The whole privatisation scam is just another done deal to hand out contracts to themselves and rich friends. There will be no saving or better service for the tax payer, in fact ultimately it will cost more…
Thank God for Hon. Andrew Fahie or we will never know ALL this NDP gang is doing to us and the money they keep wasting.
Clearly the NDP must go.
I never had c——- in this man… the hospital and health has not catch itself due to the millions of dollars over run.
This man cares anymore? He get ……
Ok. The current in-house security unit is underperforming. But why is it underperforming? Security service is an important yet simple, low/non-skilled function. Employees and patients should be provided with a safe and secure working/service delivery environment. What is the criteria for high level security services? To me it expectations, reasonable/market-based compensation, performance standards, adequate initial and ongoing training, proper procedures, reward and recognition, proper equipment and most importantly strong, effective supervision/leaderdship. From my vantage point, failed leadership/management is the caused of the poor performance.
Moreover, is the the BVIHSA admitting that it lacks the basic leadership/management skills and ability to get the desired outcome from a low/no skill unit? If it cannot effectively manage and lead a 16 person security unit, how much confidence should residents put in to perform more complex services? Is this an admittance that government cannot perform anything well? Is it time to clean house at the BVIHSA and government in general?
Or is the BVIHSA being disingenuous about the real reason for axing the 16 person in-house security unit? Is the BVIHSA new focus on core services and to outsource non-core services? And it sees security as not a core service? Is the 16 person security unit expendable? Is not government focus about delivering the best service at the least cost? Could the BVIHSA retrain the employees and improved its management skills to deliver the desired level of service at a lower cost. I only went to Manda School so what do I know.
Manda School! Lol! What type of tree did you learn ur time tables, ABC, nursery rhymes under, ie, tamon, sand box, ginep………etc? Concur with your opinion on how to improve service deliver? Your point core services vs non-core Services is well taken.
Makes no sense firing existing security officers to outsource the jobs ..yes it is a known fact that the bvihsa is lacking behind other hospitals in the region when it comes to security but it is absolutely wrong n disgusting how they came to this conclusion.. the staff are human which means they are trainable don’t blame the 16 security officers blane the one right at the top t… from the numerous complaints I have heard to the fact that the security of the hospital has been ran at its current form for years now with no interest to even try to improve the service it is clear this person is incapable of performing the duties of securing the hospital .. it is sad that 16 people who are working for a honest dollar are about to loose there job because of there boss’ failure to execute his duties.
The unit had 24 men.there were some who came into the unit.some start selling out each other trying to get position.the whole thing fell apart when the security manager left.the setup there where the security manager had to report to the IT manager is what kill the morale of the security unit.
Ronnie and the NDP opened the newly constructed hospital close to last General elections. They were looking votes so they over staffed every section of the hospital knowing full well that they didn’t have the money to keep up what they were doing. Now IRMA has caused them to stop the deception and we all have to pay for it.
The Hospital currently has ZERO security! Those guys are a complete waste of time and secure nothing!! They are just ‘there’. It’s about time we start taking security serious in this Territory!
But who hired them in the first place? You hired them and now complaining of incompetence?
Can’t believe what I just read. If the so called “leadership” was looking at the matter objectively, they would provide training for the staff. Make the performance indicators clear of what is expected from them.
But when you have dictators and not leaders, this would be the outcome. If they have not been performing for this long , why wasn’t a performance action plan developed of them?? To ensure that the organization goals are met.
If you ask me the entire leadership team for the BVI HSA needs sacking.
We will be getting rid of all non-performers including the NDP
They already pick the ones from CTL
Now I believe we need to pick sense out of non-sense. I’m sure them were interviewed for the post and there was a “competent” interview panel. So, here’s my question why were they hired of their alleged “incompetent”.
Listen, we are stupid generation something isn’t making sense. An audit needs to be done on the hiring practices of the BVI HSA! Period. It cannot be at all of a sudden them not fit for the job?? What has transpire over the years??
One thing I know about HSA if you ain’t friends with the big bosses you automatically become a walking target.
The places is rottening from the inside and no one sees that. It is an unhealthy place to work. It is time for true leadership to arise and replace the current administration cause they can not expand the organization.
THIS HAVE L——– ALL OVER IT.
Poor leadership!!!
All that was needed is to bring in a team that will train and monitor this unit for several years including the management. Then have the management kep up to date on security by sending them to training so they can pass it on. Sixteen people thrown to the side after doing their best with what they had to work with. SAD!.
We need a change of Government in the BVI. The only question is what is the alternative? It’s hard to find 13 honest individuals who will put country above self and will be led my God rather than by greed.
Tell where in the world will you find such people that are so perfect? The answer is no where. Let us find a new set of guys that will work together for the common good of the Territory that love the BVI and will do their best to help the people. Those persons are right in the BVI. Some already elected and some will be elected. It is as simple as that because no one is perfect.
will they have a fair practice for procurement?
Whose cousin has a security company?
I trust the Hospital Board and Minister will do the same to the BVIHSA execeutive management team. That whole gang need sacking. While the Minister is on a roll his ——- ——– —— has also past his sell by date. He can send him out to pasture as well.
I honestly don’t agree with this. The security guards at the hospital were doing a really good job. How are they so positive they gonna get better service from another security company. Doesn’t make sense to me.
You need the Marines from the UK still. The BVI is broken because the people are selfish and think they know it all.
My one part on this matter is management the problem is the security at the Hospital has no HEAD as to run it how can a man in Information Technology run a security when he never run a Boy Scout Unit. So planing ahead first was to get a proper Security officer who was either in the Police or the Army who knows about security. next to hire personnel who want to work and have proper training for them in what is security and it purpose what the hospital want (not client service persons) and to look the part as security in proper uniforms nor (CROCKS and Baggy low waist pants proper radios and monitoring of all them (50) cameras and yet the security has to walk all over the place and still cant see when a patient escapes but this is BVI some body see a way in making money so let use the hospital who do not want to pay staff what is worth but spend on Technology.
Question: Would this security firm be monitoring the cameras in the work place to of all the offices?
Would the old security be hire as security camera monitors?
Or the big may in Info Tech be monitoring from HOME as normal?
Your on point that man is the problem as head of security and the other units he supervise and he’s always out doing he personal work at the other authorities
… made a mess with the security unit. a business anaylast running security.
How is it this man can say “a more competent” firm. When he have never host any kind of meetings with the staff. He just goes along with what he is told.
We have never meet the Board much less the CEO! We were never appraised of what the new directions are for us moving forward after experiencing such devastation with the Hurricanes.
We are to perform when we are not clear of what is expected. The organization needs to increase their training and development budget but instead they increase their salaries and allowances budget.
We need new leadership and not dictators. Leadership that will work with staff to achieve the common goals of the organization. So, let’s start cleaning the house from the top come down! Since we sacking don’t stop at security.
Set of idiots !!!!
Focus on STREET securities more so than hospital .. Hospital Security is fine .. So tired of this nonsense ..
Confusion .
How could you put an IT manager over security … … if i was ronnie skelton i would fire the IT manager and bring back the Police inspector to manage the security…
Can’t they just hire younger more fit security guards? People more physically able to perform the job and won’t get tired if they actually have to chase somebody.