Supreme Court Orders End To Strike - Prime Minister Ingraham Issues Statement

Prime Minister of The Bahamas the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham

(BIS, Nassau Bahamas) - Statement by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham:  The public is aware that for the last week members of the Bahamas Nurses Union have been engaged in industrial action resulting in their failure to attend at their work places at the Health and Medical facilities of the Government, including the Princess Margaret Hospital.

The principal reason for this action was said to be the Government’s inability to make financial provisions for medical insurance for the nurses at this time.

My Government had agreed to the provision of this benefit for the nurses but decided to delay its implementation because of unexpected pressures on the national budget due to the global economic downturn and subsequent drastic fall-off in revenue.

The Government, acting through the Public Hospitals Authority and the Minister of Health, sought the intervention of the Supreme Court to put an end to the industrial action being undertaken by some members of the Nurses Union with the apparent encouragement of union officers.

Today, the Supreme Court ruled in the matter and ordered that the Union and its members be restrained from calling, organizing or procuring members to strike, or to refuse to work, or to refuse to work when scheduled to do so, or leave their employment or otherwise participate in any form of industrial action.

My Government now fully expects that all concerned will abide by the ruling of the court.  Whatever our grievances or circumstances, we are all as citizens bound to abide by the rule of law which has ensured the stability of The Bahamas and enabled the orderly delivery of essential services to the public.

My Government has always been committed to the welfare of all those who serve the Bahamian people in the public service, including and especially our nurses.  We will continue, as resources allow, to work towards improving conditions and benefits for Bahamian nurses.

We are, and have always been, open to continued dialogue on these matters with mutual respect for each other.  But the Government cannot and will not at any time -- and especially during these trying times – abdicate its responsibility to protect the overall interests of the nation within the framework of good order and the rule of law.