Over $900,000 allocated to cover unpaid allowances for nurses

More than $900,000 has been allocated by the government to cover unpaid allowances for nurses by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Gonsalves, during his Independence address to the nation on Sunday, said that approximately 112 nurses and nursing assistants in clinics and community nursing services were not paid certain allowances for various reasons.

And he said that these allowances will be paid in full in December 2019.

“I thank the nurses who brought this matter to my attention three or so months ago. I am pleased that we are righting this wrong,” Gonsalves said.

The Prime Minister said that the monthly allowance rate for staff nurses is $250 while nursing assistants receive $125 monthly. And he added that “individual payments ranging from $375 to $28,875 will be paid. The aggregate of these payments amounts to $995,332.56”.

“I would like to remind all of our nurses and nursing assistants who are doing overall a very good job, of their ongoing obligation to deliver the best service possible to the various communities. Please do not let us down. You are very precious to us,” Gonsalves said.