Gov’t to reinstate gratuity to Cuba-trained doctors – M.P. Ramsaran

Government Member of Parliament, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, today said doctors who were trained in Cuba and have returned to Guyana to serve the public health sector would once again be able to enjoy the benefits of gratuity at six-month intervals.

This measure has been catered for in Budget 2020, he said.

Dr. Ramsaran noted that more than 2,000 medical doctors were trained during the PPP/C Administration’s 23 years in government. Upon their return to Guyana, they were required to serve the Government on contracts which guaranteed them a gratuity.

The M.P. said within the last five years the APNU+ AFC Administration “mistreated and mishandled” doctors, taking away gratuity and placing them on the pensionable scale.  This led to many of them migrating or opting to work at private institutions and fewer numbers indicating an interest in being trained.

The PPP/C Administration expects that with the reinstatement of gratuity, more persons will join the profession and boost the human resource capacity within the health sector. Additionally, those who have already been trained would be encouraged to specialise thereby filling vacancies for much-needed medical services in Guyana.

Dr. Ramsaran also commended other proposed measures to be accommodated in the $51.7 billion allocated for the health sector in the 2020 Budget.