Health Ministry placing public at risk

THE Health Ministry is putting the public at risk in its hasty attempt to register pharmacists imported from the Philippines to work in the local health sector. This allegation was made on Thursday by first vice-president of the Public Services Association (PSA) Stephen Thomas, in a media release. Thomas announced that Public Service pharmacists will not cooperate, supervise or assist with orientation of the Filipino pharmacists brought in by the ministry until all issues affecting them (local pharmacists) are resolved.

In an effort to safeguard the population, Thomas said, the custom over the past 30 years has been for foreign pharmacists seeking to practice in TT to complete 500 hours of supervised service followed by an examination of the pharmacy laws of TT by the Council of the Pharmacy Board of TT. “Attempts are being made by the ministry to waive this well established and tested custom and practice to expedite the process of registering these foreign pharmacists,” the release stated. Thomas said the Pharmacy Board strongly objected to “this improper arrangement.” On Tuesday, an emergency meeting with pharmacists took place at the PSA headquarters after they demanded a meeting with PSA President Jennifer Baptiste-Primus. The pharmacists received information that the Filipinos would be paid a higher salary of $9,600.

Negotiations between the PSA and the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) have been ongoing and settlement has not been reached on the reclassification of local pharmacists to a higher range. “The reclassification matter has been with the CPO for the last three years and the present proposals by the CPO to local pharmacists is significantly less than that being offered to foreigners,” Thomas said. He referred to statements by Health Minister John Rahael that foreign pharmacists would not be paid “one cent more than local pharmacists” or receive the incentives locals get.