MPATT has faith in Govt to settle contract issue

MEDICAL Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT) president Dr Colin Furlonge, has expressed unwavering “faith” in Government’s ability to bring an end to protracted negotiations for new contracts for doctors employed by the Regional Health Authorities (RHA).

During a media briefing at San Fernando General Hospital’s medical library last Friday, Dr Furlonge also dealt at length with the arrival of the 100-odd United Nations Volunteer (UNV) doctors saying the cost to taxpayers was in the region of some $75 million. Asked about ongoing negotiations between MPATT and the Government-appointed Inter-Ministerial team, headed by Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith, on the contract issue, Dr Furlonge confirmed that between March and November, a total of three meetings took place, but with “little success.” “We go in faith, confident that new contracts would be in place before the end of the year when the confirmation letter comes to an end,” Dr Furlonge said, adding that another meeting was scheduled for next week between MPATT and the Inter-Ministerial team. According to the MPATT president, the outstanding issues include settlement of gratuity, overtime and work done on weekends and public holidays.

On the recent arrival of UNV doctors, with the vast majority hailing from countries below TT on the World Health Organisation (WHO) rating scale, Dr Furlonge said Government would have to shell out a total of $75,480,138, with each doctor receiving a monthly salary of some $20,000. The UNDP county office was also expected to receive an estimated $6 million in administrative fees. Dr Furlonge said the money could be better spent on improving local doctors’ working environment. “The central issue is why local doctors are leaving the country,” he said, citing inadequate remuneration packages and outdated facilities. He also touched on the recent Dengue outbreak saying that the organisation was calling on Government to institute an investigation into the issue. He said while former Health Minister Colm Imbert denied any such outbreak, Dr Furlonge pointed to a letter written to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Rampersad Parasram from CAREC, which stated that out of some 759 suspected cases of Dengue, 38 had tested positive for Dengue Type 3, with 32 cases of confirmed Dengue victims coming from South Trinidad. “We intend to write the Prime Minister calling for a formal investigation into the Dengue outbreak,” Dr Furlonge stated.