Following is a statement from the executive chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland in relation to the delayed payment of the hazard allowance to the QEH’s staff for the period of April to June, 2021.
“We have communicated to our staff that we are indeed late in paying the hazard payment due for the period April 1 to June 30, 2021. However, all staff have received their regular salaries on time, as is the track record of the Finance Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
“Hazard payment is a quarterly bonus payment made to staff working in the COVID response. The board and Government were of the view that although applause, donations and recognition are important sources of encouragement to staff, a tangible financial payment should be added in recognition of the fact that staff are going above and beyond, often at great sacrifice.
“To date, staff at the isolation centres, Accident and Emergency Department, the Ambulance Service and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital have been paid an additional two million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars [BBD $2 750 000.00] in addition to regular salary payments.
“As we would have initiated the hazard payment, we believe it is well deserved and we are sensitive to the fact of how the delays may have caused discomfort to our staff.
“We are appreciative of the fact that on September 16, 2021, the Government would have gone to Parliament and passed additional supplementary funding to the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to enable our resources to be freed up to make these payments.
“We have also brought on additional staff in the Finance Department so we can make these payments this week and not delay until the end of the month. We wish in particular to thank the Barbados Nurses Association for their advocacy as well as our other trade union partners, and we will be taking up individual cases of grievances with them.” (PR)
