For the past six days there has been a standoff at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital between the hospital’s board and medical staff. Tonight tensions are still high and instead of getting better – relations apparently are deteriorating. Today the Minister of Labour invoked the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act and appointed Labour Commissioner Ivan Williams as a mediator. Williams says he informed both the KHMH Board and the Belize Medical and Dental Association about a meeting at 3 this afternoon at the Radisson Hotel. The entire board, reportedly in addition to the Minister of Health Pablo Marin, showed up but no one from the Medical and Dental Union did. So no progress was made today. That was much to the dismay of the board who through its attorney Leo Bradley Jr. cautiously noted its displeasure with the union’s absence.
Leo Bradley Jr., Attorney for KHMH Board
“As you can see that since three o’clock the Chairman of the Board, members of government, as well as the entire board has been here waiting and the doctors, the BMDA has not shown up. The person who has been appointed by the Minister of Labour is Mr. Ivan Williams. He is the Commissioner of Labour and we have set a new time for tomorrow and basically the Board of Directors in an effort to ensure that we have proper hearing, that we do not prejudice etc,, would not like to comment on any of the rumours or allegations or anything that has been going on in the open media. We feel that the individuals who would benefit most from these hearings are the people of Belize and so in an effort to ensure that we have a proper hearing and not prejudice the hearing, we would like to not make any comment at this time and hopefully we can reach some resolution between the board, the Ministry, and the BMDA.”
Keith Swift,
So what do you make of the fact that the union did not show up?
Leo Bradley Jr.,
“I really can’t comment as to why they did not show up.”
Keith Swift,
You said they were informed, do you think they are thumbing their nose at this meeting?
Leo Bradley Jr.,
“I really don’t think it would be constructive to comment in that manner. As I can say we were informed in the meeting that they were informed and they weren’t here obviously.”
We tried repeatedly to reach the Medical and Dental Union’s President Dr. John Sosa for comment but we were unable to reach him. We do know that the union is reportedly going to hold a meeting tonight. Under the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act – if the mediator cannot negotiate a truce – the Minister can move to set up a tribunal.
