Head of the Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nurses Association Idi Stuart says while the Association is thankful for the response by the Ministries of National Security and Health and even the RHA signaling their interest in safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of nursing staff and patients at medical institutions that operate in high risk areas more needs to be done.
He told Power 102 Digital this morning that incidents like the fatal shooting that occurred in June at the Port of Spain General Hospital and the latest murder of 31-year-old Jamal Watts, a maintenance worker at the St. James Medical Complex is not solitary in nature.
He told our newsroom that what usually happens when incidents like these arise is a small police presence that will disappear in a few days.
Stuart said the Association is calling for more robust security, not the private security, but security officers hired by the RHA itself who would have a vested interest in protecting the lives of staff and patients or hire MTS whose presence the Association believes have borne fruit in terms of protection.
The TTRN Head also revealed that counselling has not been provided for the nursing staff following the fatal shooting at the POSGH or this latest incident.