Minister of State with responsibility for Health, Senator Wendy Phipps in an SKNIS public broadcast addresses the recruitment of foreign nurses with special training and skills, to work in the health sector in St. Kitts-Nevis.
Phipps pointed out that a code of ethics and secrecy was violated by civil servants who disclosed confidential information to the public concerning the recruitment of nurses from the Philippines.
The second level of concern says Phipps was the actual recruitment, which was not initiated by the Team Unity Government but dates back up to 5 years ago when the St Kitts Nevis Labour Party government recruited 27 foreign workers from countries such as Cuba, USA, Guyana, Philippines, Nigeria and Santo Domingo.
Phipps assured that the recruitment of foreign nurses was to build capacity in the health system. Phipps noted that the salaries and compensation packages to foreign nurses was in keeping with salary scale paid to local nurses.
Phipps said it was unfortunate that the nurses’ issue was hypocritically stated to achieve disgruntlement in the work force.
Meanwhile opposition leader Dr Denzil Douglas showed solidarity with the nurses on Tuesday and declared that the local nurses should not be treated in any lesser capacity than foreign nurses and deserved to be rewarded for the outstanding work done and the skills acquired from training.