Health Minister Not Mad at K.H.M.H.W.U. for Press Conference

Kevin Bernard

Earlier today, Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard also weighed in on the situation at the K.H.M.H. including concerns about pension and other benefits for members of staff. Minister Bernard acknowledges the fact that a letter was written to himself and Prime Minister Briceño by the K.H.M.H. Workers Union.  Several of the requests being made, however, can only be addressed by the Ministry of Finance.

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“The people at the union did write the prime minister and myself sometime in September.  We were in the middle of September Celebrations activities.  Right after, I traveled to the World Health [Organization]/PAHO conference.  I did say to the union representative who also, by the way, is a member of the K.H.M.H. board, and part of their complaint is that the board is not listening.  So I find it very, very ironic to be sitting on the board, yet the board is not listening.  But let me say this, I have never shied away or shunned anybody away from wanting to meet with anyone.  I said to them that I am prepared and, in fact, let me say this for the record, we had scheduled at four o‘clock on Monday a Zoom meeting because I told them that I would not have been able to do the face-to-face in this week but can we do the Zoom, I am prepared to do the Zoom meeting.  9:30 in the morning, I got an agenda item.  One, I could have addressed immediately the issue of the medications and supplies that they are talking about, but on the agenda they had some other things that I believe need the input of the Ministry of Finance and other people that have pensions, the issue of income tax.  I cannot go there and make decisions on my own, unilaterally.  I have to consult.  I have to be able to have the people that have that responsibility to be able to sit down.  It‘s similar to what we did with the nurses when we went and we had to involve Labor, we had to involve the Ministry of Finance because the Ministry of Health cannot make those decisions on its own.  And so, there are things I believe they have been requesting and want to request.  They have all rights to have their press conference, I have nothing against that.”