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Hon. Skelton: Small number of overseas staff for new hospital

The Health Minister is hopeful that a small number of overseas personnel will be hired to work at the new Peebles Hospital. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The Ministry of Health and Social Development will have to hire overseas medical professionals to facilitate the smooth flow for the new Peebles Hospital, but Hon. Ronnie Skelton wants that number to be “very small”.

Construction of the hospital is expected to be completed in about 15 months barring any hindrances, and Minister Skelton said that recruitment is an on-going exercise.

“As you know there will be a problem trying to meet all our needs locally for doctors, nurses and medical practitioners so we will have to import some...we hope that the amount that we will have to import is very small,” he told members of the media during a walk-through of the new hospital on June 7, 2012.

He disclosed that three or four doctors had returned during his party’s tenure between 2003 and 2007, adding, “We are planning to do it again. I understand there are some doctors and nurses overseas and we will add more.”

Just recently, Nursing Director of Peebles Hospital, Jacinth Campbell-Hannibal, in presenting her remarks on International Midwives Day on May 5, 2012, spoke of the shortage of Midwives at the Hospital. Furthermore, of the 12 employed none of them are locals of the Virgin Islands.

The Midwives are from Grenada, Jamaica, Guyana, St. Vincent, St. Kitts and Dominica.

10 Responses to “Hon. Skelton: Small number of overseas staff for new hospital”

  • making sports (10/06/2012, 09:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    COME ON RONNIE ONLY OVERSEAS STAFF WILL RUN THE NEW HOSIPITAL JUST LIKE THEY DO NOW!!!
    • Village Girl (10/06/2012, 12:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      hush your self...shootman.
    • Sara (10/06/2012, 14:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Stop taking things out of perspective. Ronnie did not say that. The medical field is an area where the BVI could improve on the amount of scholarships granted. We are now have an abundance of lawyers, and it is now time for us to give the medical field some serious attention.
  • hmmm (10/06/2012, 11:05) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    This is really stupid! I am from here and would not allow any local person without 10 years experience or more to do nothing on me. I will continue to go overseas for treatment. When the locals go away to study, Government wants them to come back without any sort of experience. This is really stupid!!!!
  • question (11/06/2012, 00:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    When will the hospital be finished?
  • my two cents (11/06/2012, 01:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ronnie Skelton please be careful with these expats staff in we hospital for in reality I found most of them to be lacking ethics, professionalism, empathy, and most importantly common sense....they hate being in the BVI and show it every day at the hospital
  • english man (11/06/2012, 07:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I do not care who works where I just want to know that when I am sick or my family and friends that they have access to quality health care at Peeples Hospital.
  • Cheap=Dead (11/06/2012, 12:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The BVI Health Care is not attractive to most qualified medical personnel. The persons employed here are drastically underpaid. Doctors are being wood by hospitals from cities in countries everyday. They are offered large compensation and huge benefits. The BVI is not competitive for these doctors. Similarly, the nurses are in huge demand and also receive large salaries. Nurse practicioners and registered nurses make in excess of 3x the amount the BVI offers the same. The BVI also undervalues these great resources and demotes them to a position of taking blood pressure, temperatures and file keeping. There have been many great nurses come through the system here in the BVI who have run wards and been sought after for their expertise, yet they chose the BVI to enjoy the low-key, relaxed culture of the Caribbean. They've left and many others who would be interested quickly change their minds when they hear the salary level. The BVI treats their nurses as medical assistants. You get what you pay for and if the BVI does not have the qualified persons to fill the jobs at the hospital they will have no choice but to go elsewhere to recruit. The people deserve quality and expert healthcare given by EXPERIENCED medical professionals and in order to provide that level of service they are going to have to offer salaries competitive with the UK, USA and Canada.
  • Esteban (03/08/2012, 04:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
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