JLP health comments concern National Workers' Union (NWU boss

Published in Jamaica Gleaner: Friday | July 27, 2007

President of the National Workers' Union (NWU), Vincent Morrison, has expressed concerns regarding pronouncements made by the Opposition that it would dismantle the Regional Health Authorities (RHA).

General secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Karl Samuda, told a Gleaner Editors' Forum on Wednesday that the JLP administration would reform the entire structure of the health service and the authorities would go if the Opposition formed the next government.

Reacting to the comments yesterday, Mr. Morrison said his union could not support such plans.

"While I agree that they are not 100 per cent perfect, I think they are working well. I think in terms of delivery of health services, they are playing a fundamental role across the country and again the National Workers' Union (NWU) will not support the dismantlingof these entities," said Morrison.

Impact on economy

He said the Opposition should be aware of the impact it would have on the economy, in terms of job loss. He said he has already written to the Leader of the Opposition Bruce Golding on the issue.

But that is not the only issue about which the NWU is concerned, said Morrison.

"We have concerns about Air Jamaica, the sugar sector and finally about the IMF," he told The Gleaner. "We don't believe that any future government should even contemplate bringing back the IMF into this country."

He said that under the IMF, workers endured periods of starvation, hardship and no wage increases.

Mr. Samuda argued that the administrator, matron and the senior medical officer were more efficient at running a hospital than the respective boards that make up the RHA.