PRESIDENT OF the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ), Edith Allwood-Anderson, has expressed fear that this week's decision by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government, to allow tertiary-trained nurses free labour movement across the Caribbean, will lead to further shortage of nurses in the country.
"We are not at all competitive for our Caribbean nations, in terms of remuneration, so our nurses have the pull factor and it will further exacerbate the brain drain and migration (of nurses) from our country," she told The Gleaner Thursday. "With the free movement, nurses will move without any ethical dilemma."
The decision was made during the 27th Annual Conference
of CARICOM Heads of Government in St. Kitts. Leaders reached the decision following a day of deliberations on the CARICOM Single Market (CSM), and the single economy component due in 2008.
REVIEW SALARIES
The NAJ head said she had expected the decision would have been made, and this was one of the reasons she had been pressing the Government to review the salaries being offered to nurses.
"The other countries have been treating their nurses better than Jamaica so, if you are treated well, then younger nurses will be seeking to go to those countries," she said. "That is why we are pressing our Government to review everything that is laid down for nurses, so that we are not at a greater disadvantage than our CARICOM partners."
Despite remuneration issues, Mrs. Allwood-Anderson stressed that the nurses are qualified as the Nursing Council has had nurses doing the CARICOM nurses exam. "We are on par educationally," she said, adding that the move is welcomed.
Y.S.
