$$ package coming for doctors

HEALTH MINISTER John Rahael is optimistic that any concerns which senior doctors have over their remuneration packages will soon be remedied. Rahael told Newsday yesterday that he met last week with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) to discuss the salary concerns of senior doctors in the hope of expediting the process. He said based on these discussions, “a package” will be presented to the Joint Negotiating Team (JNT) of the Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) and the senior doctors either this week or the next. While the minister declined to reveal what were the contents of this “package” and said the mechanics still needed to be worked out through negotiations, he was optimistic that senior doctors would accept what is being offered and the negotiations would be finished within a relatively short time frame.

The negotiations for new contracts for senior doctors began on March 22 and the Medical Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT) claimed that only six meetings have taken place while others were postponed. Acting MPATT president, Dr Lakhan Roop, said he has received no news of what transpired in the discussions between Rahael and the CPO. Attempts to contact JNT chairman Imitiaz Ahamad were unsuccessful. Rahael also said his discussions with the CPO about the reclassification of pharmacists were fruitful and that process is ongoing. The minister expressed satisfaction that all dispensaries at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex at Mt Hope and Chaguanas Health Facility are operating now as normal. Pharmacists at all of these dispensaries recently stayed away from work to express their concerns about their terms and conditions of employment.