Reading Time: 8 minutes

Patients, docs and nurses sick of Health Ministry 

The public protest by nurses and doctors over poor working conditions last Friday and Saturday at Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St James, was merely a microcosm of what has been occurring in Jamaica’s healthcare system over the last decade, although some of them have been silent.

Although the initial protest focused on the nurses in the Accident & Emergency Department of western Jamaica’s largest health facility, the doctors rose to the occasion like warriors determined to rid themselves of slave-like conduct by those who govern their movement, and who would want to convince the public at large, that Melissa’s wrath last October 28, was the culprit this time.

But no. Only a fool would argue that Melissa would not have played a part in the further deterioration of Cornwall Regional between the end of October last and now. However, substantially, the challenges being faced by medical personnel in A&E were there long ago. It’s just that the sore foot has now widened and has become far more painful than all who had to deal it from the start, would imagine.

Nurses and doctors must have been frustrated to the brim for them to have decided on the course of action that they took. Of course, the clinical director at the hospital, Dr Delroy Fray, in subsequent meetings with the aggrieved parties, promised them that adjustments would be done to make their daily lives not as miserable as things have been over the years.

That was followed by another pledge, as usual, by Health & Wellness Minister Dr Christoper Tufton, or ‘Tuftimes’ as many seem to want to refer to him these days, who promised another two weeks to prop things up.

Dr Fray though, must stop taking the hard knocks for Dr Tufton, who has brought the ministry to its knees, with flop after flop after flop.

Dr Fray is one of the sector’s tireless workers whom I met and interviewed from the time that he served as chief medical officer of the same institution. As far as I know, he is not a regular poser in a domino game, and then just sit by and see the readers of the game manage to go on and determine its end. 

Sure, Dr Fray can pose double six in any domino game, but if he does not have a good hand while playing with his senior partner, Dr Tufton, he hasn’t a ghost of a chance of preventing loss after loss.

And so, the dolly house continues. Dr Fray, stretches the band aid, based upon what he has been provided with by Tufton, but all that does is worsen the ‘dutty’ sore.

It again brings me to ask the question of whether or not Prime Minister Andrew Holness will ever muster the courage to tell Dr Tufton ‘bye bye’ from the health ministry as its policy head, since he missed the address and mistakenly turned up at that ministry in 2016.

People, take note. This is the same Cornwall Regional Hospital that was placed on the structural improvement ward years ago, at a budgeted cost of refurbishment and other stuff of $2 billion, only for it to develop a constant bleed that cannot be controlled, resulting in cost over-run of up to $24 billion at last check, and growing by the day. My prediction is that the figure will reach $32 billion by end of fiscal year 2025-2026 on March 31. For Jamaica’s sake, this is one time that I hope that I am not correct.

Members of the A&E Department at Cornwall Regional have made their point … and it is not the first time. Workers have complained about the rats that have invaded their space (maybe the four-legged ones too), the unsanitary conditions, and a host of other issues.

Now, the policy management team at the Ministry of Health has a minister and a minister of state, none of whom are medically trained, which is yet another challenge, because it would be advantageous to have someone like that there, even for greater understanding of the system.

Tufton too, had better not get too comfortable, for right around the corner is a damning report by highly competent Auditor General, Pamela Monroe Ellis, on the performance of the University Hospital of the West Indies. It’s a matter that demands its own space.

If a man does not want you at his house, don’t go there

The globe almost flipped late last week, after US President Donald Trump ruled that the United States would suspend, indefinitely, immigrant visa applications for people from 75 countries, effective January 21, although the process that governs temporary US visas would remain intact, for now, in respect of some countries, Jamaica included.

Some of the world’s most powerful countries have been named, and there are 11 listed in the Caribbean that are shocking, among them Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, St Lucia, and The Bahamas, whose citizens have better disciplinary records than Jamaica or Haiti for example.

Clearly, the United States does not want certain people from countries that, for whatever reason, have done them harm, leading to mistrust or other reasons. Those countries, therefore, should not stop the progress by shedding tears and going down on weakened knees to howl like wolves. They should turn around and use the same energy that they would have invested in the USA, and build their own turfs.

Jamaica, for example, has enough space for many other things to happen. The only problem is with managing the country, as some of the people here who call themselves ministers and members of parliament do not qualify to run the country along clearly defined paths that do not involve bending the rules and allowing corruption into the room.

Too much stealing emerges from the coffers of the State, meaning that there is always a shortfall in resources that would allow the island to grow and produce.

Many of those who seek to leave Jamaica for what they would describe as better lives, could remain right at home and do things that are far more beneficial than what they would end up doing if they were to emigrate. For example, sugar lands left idle by the closure of a majority of sugar factories could be used to revolutionise the agriculture and food processing industry.

At a time when your big brother has his house, but does not want you to visit or live with he and his family, the only thing that should be done do, is for you to put all your energy into play, to have your own setup. 

In the same way that one should not have to live like a second-class citizen in a foreign land, it is not a good thing to kotch up under one’s roof when he is not wanted in the space.   

Best performance by Man United in over a decade

The mega-clash that many people wanted to see: The annual Manchester Derby, which involves Manchester United and Manchester United, unfolded in style last Saturday, with United putting in the greatest performance since legendary Scotsman, Sir Alex Ferguson, left the club as its most successful manager in 2013.

The 2-0 victory over City was filled with amazing action from the opening whistle, on a day when United lodged the ball in the net five times, only for Video Assistant Referee to deem that three were offside.

Again, for emphasis, it was the first time in the last 13 years that I saw United demonstrate such attractive football, which brought out the best in cheers from Sir Alex, seated in his box.

At first, the United fans were apprehensive, what with the firing of their previous manager Ruben Amorin, one who slit his own throat by making some stupid decisions, one of which was the loan of striker Marcus Rashford to Barcelona, all because of a personality clash.

Up stepped former player of 12 years for the club, which he also captained, Michael Carrick, in a role of caretaker manager and transformed the team for the big match, leading to the unlikely result. It marked the team’s first win in its last five starts. I have never seen the team that fluent since Sir Alex’s exit, and a serious message has been sent to other clubs for the remainder of the season, although it will take a Herculean task for them to overhaul leaders Arsenal, City, and Aston Villa to win the Premier League.

Word is that Shallow will step down soon

I have been informed that Cricket West Indies president, Dr Kishore Shallow, will, within days or weeks, step down as president of the regional organisation. That would be the greatest thing to have happened to Cricket West Indies in several years, and would demonstrate to some of us that, at last, his ego has been detached.

Dr Shallow won a set in the Parliament of St Vincent & the Grenadines last November and was soon after appointed Minister of Tourism and Aviation by newly-elected Prime Minister Godwin Friday.

At least, most of us, including his party leader, thought that he would have, finally, left the game alone, for he knew nothing about it. But he decided to hold on, trying to convince us that cricket would die if he did not remain as president for the remaining 16 months that he had left in office.

Luckily, the voices that matter have around 90 per cent convinced him that he should back away.

Now, Dr Shallow should not only step aside, but should take the absolutely incompetent head coach of the various cricket teams, Darren Sammy, with him.

The big question is, why is Sammy being paid so much money to serve as the top technical man on West Indies squads? His annual retainer alone is US$300,000, and his salary is much more than any player earns. For doing what? Ensuring that the West Indies continue to lose?

No wonder, top limited-over wicketkeeper and batsman Nicholas Pooran turned down a request for him to come out of retirement and represent the team again, what with the T20 World Cup just around the country corner. 

Pooran would not feel comfortable playing with Sammy as coach. He has seen his performance in, among other things, always micromanaging.

Cricket must be the winner.