…And Labour Commissioner mediates hospital dispute

But while there are glaring inconsistencies in prices, a meeting that ended late this evening between the K.H.M.H. Board and the B.M.D.U. ended once again yielded nothing concrete. Representatives of the Union did not offer a comment and it was left to Labour Commissioner, Ivan Williams, to address the press. Williams said the atmosphere was encouraging and the parties were working to resolve the issues of contention.

Ivan Williams, Labour Commissioner
“At this stage the parties need some time to look at them in their entirety and so both of them have agreed. They are on the table now and so it is a matter of reviewing them and hopefully at the next meeting we can get positions with respect to movement and hopefully we can get to what we call a win-win situation where the parties will sign perhaps an M.O.U.; Memorandum of Understanding.”

Jules Vasquez, Channel Seven
“Would you characterize the developments in this meeting as encouraging?”

Ivan Williams
“Very encouraging because as you know from last week Tuesday, I was appointed the mediator and I have been trying to get the parties to the table because that’s how we resolve disputes, especially disputes that are in essential services. I was able to lay down the ground rules, we all agreed on certain methodologies of how we’re gonna behave and it was well respected by both parties and is very encouraging, I feel very good and I think we’re getting somewhere.”

Marion Ali
“So Wednesday what happens?”

Ivan Williams
“Wednesday, the issues that have been brought on the table will be further ventilated by the parties. By then both of them will have their clear positions and so on and we ventilate them and hopefully a decision can be made.”

Jules Vasquez
“How soon may we have a resolution? What’s your estimate?”

Ivan Williams
“Well, I can’t say how soon but I’m hoping that the process moves slowly swiftly. Slowly in the sense that we don’t have to be hurrying anybody, we don’t have to be forcing anybody to come any conclusion but very speedily in a sense. I’m very hopeful that we are going to reach a solution sooner than later.”

Marion Ali
“If the two sides have one commonality what would you say that is?”

Ivan Williams
“If there’s any commonality, both parties have expressed the willingness now to meet and that’s very encouraging.”

Another meeting is set for the two parties and Labour Commissioner Ivan Williams this coming Wednesday.