This morning the Deputy Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party I Chester Cooper MP reached out to the President of the Nurses Union to offer condolences on the part of the PLP on the untimely passing of Nurse Bernadette Rolle.
We now formally extend our thoughts and prayers to the family of the late Nurse Rolle who died while courageously fighting to keep us safe and healthy as one of the workers at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC).
The Union’s President revealed a story of shocking neglect, lack of attention to detail and insensitivity to the human condition.
We bring the following issues to the attention of the Prime Minister and to his Minister of Health:
Supply of one mask per work day.
Adequate staffing of Employee Health Unit.
Nurses must not be turned away from hospital.
Establish a COVID-19 testing regime for nurses.
Nurses’ overtime not being paid.
Basic support amenities not being provided.
Managing Director of PHA not meeting the nurses union to hear concerns.
Recommendations from previous meeting not implemented and follow up meeting promised by the PM and Health Minister never happened.
No additional insurance commensurate with increased occupational hazards and risks.
Improved medical support for other sick nurses.
The nurses have legitimate and cogent reasons for feeling abandoned by this government.
The PLP calls on the government to become more constructively engaged Nurse Rolle symbolizes the value, courage and inherent risks associated with being on the frontline of this pandemic fight.
The PLP therefore stands in support of our hard working nurses and all frontline workers in the fight against this pandemic. Further, we remind the government that the enemy is COVID-19 and not our healthcare workers who largely feel abandoned by this government.
We call on the government to do more to protect the health and ensure the safety of our galant frontline workers.
The Prime Minister must sit as a matter of urgency with the nurse’s union and arrest this rapidly deteriorating labour impasse by resolving all outstanding issues in the public’s interest before more lives are lost.
The Public Health interests of our country demand nothing less.
