Trinidad San Fernando docs wear black as a form of unity

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
Trinidad and Tobago- The doctors at the San Fernando General Hospital were all dressed in ‘black’ to show camaraderie and to push for Government to speed up outstanding wage discussions.
Anil Gosine, who is the Chief executive officer of the South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) said that although the doctors were wearing black as a form of unity, they were still performing their duties and not protesting.
The doctors assembled for a short meeting at the Emergency Department of the hospital “in order for us to have these negotiations completed as soon as possible,” added Mr Gosine, who also announced that a meeting with the Medical Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT) was held at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital.
Gosine, SWRHA’s chairman and chairman of the Joint Negotiating Team (JNT) Dr Lackram Bodoe and chief medical officer Dr Colin Furlonge all met with MPATT. The SWRHA is the registered body responsible for negotiations.
Mr Gosine informed that, “All items were agreed upon by both parties. Hopefully by next week everything will be in place.”
“The JNT met with MPATT yesterday and the outstanding matters have been resolved. MPATT has been advised that this information can be disclosed to their membership, and the Minister of Health has been apprised of this development and has given the undertaking that he will take it directly to the Ministry of Finance in an effort to expedite the process,” said Dr Bodoe.
Minister of Health Dr Fuad Khan said that he was anticipating a letter from the SWRHA regarding the negotiations which would have been sent to the Ministry of Finance as soon as it was received. He stressed that instead of wearing black, doctors should wear their name tags so that members of the public could identify them.
Recently, the MPATT Reformers issued a statement which said, “doctors cannot and will not strike”, but that there was a plan of action outlined, including the wearing of black to show unity. Since then, MPATT released another statement urging the doctors to refrain from industrial action of any form.
A letter was subsequently sent to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, asking for her intervention in the affair.

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