Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Parties meet in emergency session to end crisis at Trinidad hospitals

Friday, January 5, 2007

by: Stephen Cummings
Caribbean Net News Trinidad and Tobago Correspondent
Email: stephen@caribbeannetnews.com

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The Public Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago, the recognised bargaining body for the country's public servants, met Wednesday with a representative group of protesting doctors.

A full agreement, however, has not been reached regarding payment of a supplemental allowance being asked for that would ensure parity among protesting doctors . It is said that talks will continue.

The doctors on Wednesday threatened mass resignations within 48 hours if the Health Minister did not meet their demands on settling the issue on salaries. They claim they have not been receiving remuneration on par with that of their RHA colleagues. Government has since filed an injunction aimed at forcing the doctors back to work who first began withholding their services.

On Wedndeday, Health Minister John Raheal responded to the threat of mass resignations, saying, "The doctors could go if they wanted to and that government would not be threatened by their action."

There are reports so far that some doctors attached to Medication Professional Association of Trinidad and Tobago, MPATT have made good on their threat to resign. The exact number of doctors who have submitted letters of resignation was not immediately available, however . They had given the Health Minister up to 4pm on Thursday to meet their demands.

The San Fernando General Hospital, the Mt Hope Medical Sciences Complex, as well as the Port of Spain General Hospita,l are all said to have been affected by the action taken by doctors.

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