Nurses postpone protest but told: Stay away from hotspots

The planned protest by the TT Registered Nurses Association (TTRNA) on July 1 has been postponed to a date to be announced, owing to the unrest in Port of Spain on Tuesday.

The association has also told its members assigned to certain facilities not to report to work on Wednesday.

Speaking to Newsday, TTRNA president Idi Stuart said the decision was reached after an emergency virtual meeting of the executive on Tuesday.

He said the association is advising all nurses and midwifery staff to stay away from health facilities in known hotspots.

In the Northwest Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), these facilities are the Oxford Street, George Street, Morvant, Success Laventille and Upper Laventille health centres. In the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA), these are the Maloney and La Horquetta health centres.

Stuart said, “If you’re able to leave home because your home is not in the hotspot area and reach to the head office of either NCRHA or NWRHA, depending on where you live, report to the head office and be reassigned otherwise.

"If you live in the hotspot areas, don’t leave your place of residence if you feel unsafe.”

Stuart said the association had communicated its position to the management of both RHAs and would send out a memo to members.

The protest was originally carded for 8 am on Wednesday, beginning and ending at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

In addition to members of the TTRNA, members of the TT Association of Midwives, Psychiatric Nurses’ Association, and the Joint Trade Union Movement were expected to attend.