RHA’s have doctors’ money

The Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) have received lump sum cheques to pay the arrears owed to doctors, Health Minister Colm Imbert said yesterday.

He said the loan for the back pay “took a little while” but payment should not take long. On Tuesday, the Medical Profes-sionals Association contradicted a statement made by Planning and Development Minister Dr Keith Rowely that doctors had received their outstanding arrears. At a media briefing over a week ago, Rowley said the PNM government had to get a $40.8 million loan for the arrears owed from the December 6, 2001 Memorandum of Agreement signed between the RHAs and the PSA.

Speaking to the media, Imbert confirmed that only doctors in the Public Service have received arrears. “Their salaries are a direct charge on the Ministry of Health whereas the RHA salaries are from an allocation from the RHAs.” A loan was needed since the RHAs did not have the money to cover the back pay. Imbert  has asked the RHAs to supply him with the name of every doctor who has been paid.