Nurses protest delay in appointments

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC: The Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) has criticised the government of hiring foreign nurses even as local nurses are yet to receive their appointments dating back to 2023.

In 2023, the government recruited 18 nurses from Ghana under a renewable two-year contract. A total of 42 Cuban nurses were recruited in 2022 to ease the strain on the public health system.

“In 2023, the government brought in some nurses from Ghana. Those nurses [went] through an orientation like they’re doing today. The government housed these nurses. The government is also advancing three months’ salary to these nurses,” said BNU president, Muriel Lightbourne, adding that the local nurses “are still waiting from 2023 for an appointment”.

But Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said the delay in appointing the local nurses is due to a prolonged vetting process being carried out by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

“We have nurses who graduated in 2023 and 2024. I’ve had an opportunity to speak with these nurses and to make it very clear that one of the challenges we’re having with the public service is the vetting, and the 13 nurses are still experiencing a vetting from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

“We reached out to the police about two weeks ago. They have indicated that they would expedite the service. Once that’s completed, their files will be completed, and it will go to the Public Service Commission,” Darville said.

But the BNU has dismissed the statement saying the 26 local nurses, from 2023, have met all the requirements and yet they are being frustrated.

Lightbourne called the situation “a slap in the face", adding “how are you going to assign these same nurses from 2023 in an orientation like what they’re having today, and turn around two, three years later, assign them to another orientation in the same setting like today.

“God is not pleased with that,” she added.

Darville further defended the government decision to hire foreign healthcare workers because other countries have been recruiting the top talent from The Bahamas.

“We have massive recruitment of our healthcare professionals from developed countries. As fast as they take our professionals, we have to replace them.”