Dr. Darroux questions motives of those highlighting problems facing nurses

Health Minister Dr. Kenneth Darroux

Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux is questioning the motives of those highlighting the problems of nurses, saying they are trying “to rile up nurses” in Dominica.

He spoke on the matter at a press conference on Tuesday.

“So I think we now have to ask the question as to what is the motive of the forces or the parties out there, not political parties, well could be, at this juncture, what is the motive of they trying to rile up nurses,” he said.

Statistics show that a number of nurses left Dominica following the passage of Hurricane Maria last September, sparking concerns that this might have an effect on health delivery on the island. Even Darroux himself said on a radio program that the nursing service was “fast nearing critical levels.”

Organizations such as the Dominica Nurses Association (DNA) has been highlighting the issue and has called on the government to save what it described as a collapsing nursing service. The organization recently said that Hurricane Maria was not the reason why nurses are leaving Dominica in droves but it was “only the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

But according to Darroux, Dominica is at a point in its history where it is recovering from a category five hurricane in which 275 percent of the GDP was destroyed.

He said he has no problems with nurses asking, for example, for salary increase and other things, but he believes the timing is wrong.

“So I think the timing of this is wrong and as I said, I daresay it begs to ask the question as to what are the motives behind some of these calls,” he stated.

He stated that the Ministry of Health met with nurses long before the DNA “started their campaign” and commitments were made to increase their allowances.

Darroux also thanked nurses who stayed after Maria and decried those who “abandoned” and “trampled on” Dominica when they were needed the most.

“I would like to thank those who decided to stay, those who have been left or who have no intention of leaving,” he stated. “I think that they will be recorded in the annals of history of having remained in the country to serve at the time when their country needed them the most and the opposite is true and I hope we draw attention to those who chose to abandon their country, in some case trample on their country, at a juncture in our history when the country needed them the most.”

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31 Comments

  1. Ghort
    May 6, 2018

    What motive? What motive u talking boUT? Man move your arse ther u and the rest talking bout dyab motive ..once we raise a concern Is motive we have.. boi garson all now as I reading that I feeling to just mashop that computer ther … fedup with all u fellas old talk..

  2. Anonymous
    May 4, 2018

    Never miss the well till it runs dry. Treat the nurses well..

    And the sad thing is that there is no opposition in this country

  3. Josh Shaw
    May 3, 2018

    Kenneth boy isn’t the timing wrong to get new ministers of govt? Isn’t the timing wrong to have building materials playing politics? isn’t the timing wrong to play politics with relief aid? Boy go talk to d skerrit character! Nurses should not ask for but demand the raise they deserve and if not met go on a sick out for a few days or weeks!

  4. Truth to power
    May 3, 2018

    I dare you to have an independent , anonymous poll at the hospital with the nurses and you’ll see truth!!

  5. Peno
    May 3, 2018

    Dr Darroux you disappoint me, you disgust me and all respect is lost. You have changed and the devil in you is beginning to show itself.

  6. Jonathan Y St Jean
    May 3, 2018

    When a government spends its time buying patronage rather than developing the country, then this is what the result will be.This government wants to micro manage everything, including the lives of citizens to include the nurses who choose to leave.Mr Daroux, have you stoped to think that you bettered your life and that of your family by going overseas? Now when some of your fellow Dominicans are doing the same for themselves and their families you choose to castigate and ridicule them.Now I’m questioning your motive.Some of those who left will return more educated and skilled and better to serve the needs of the country.They look at your failure to improve the health services in the country and they aren’t going to take it anymore

  7. Wabyo
    May 3, 2018

    Helicopters from south Korea..?? ??????

  8. Toto
    May 3, 2018

    Rile up, you saying that who bringing nurses from Cuba? Who is riling up whom dr. Darroux?

  9. Truth Be Told
    May 3, 2018

    Our motive is the fact that too many people are dying in this damn hospital while all you ministers and president fly out of state with your wives and children for you all treatment!

  10. Frank
    May 3, 2018

    What motive u talking bout … the only motive we have is to throw u all out of office. .. call the damn election that’s what u all have to do now .. dissolve flipping parliarment… you people need to comout ther… is time for us to develop our country. . All us had 18 years to do that … still no intl airport.. no factories …bad roads..no jobs… roseau in a mess .u cannot even walk on the sidewalk .. people vending all over the place like is Haiti. .. look at the drains in roseau…. not even that them wortlis fellas there can do.. man call the damn electing eh

  11. May 2, 2018

    We once rank 37 on the world stage for best healthcare, today under Skerrit, we are importing nurses
    Hurra, that¨s development. that’s progress :-D :-D

  12. Iamanidiot
    May 2, 2018

    But wait, When ever there is a complaint the minister have to look down on the people that complain and question their motiives? that’s the new talk man, Skerrint question the motives of the port workers, Blackmore do it , now Darroux?

  13. Rassheed
    May 2, 2018

    I have a backbone for sale, oh..

  14. May 2, 2018

    Allu killed everything in D/ca :-D

  15. The One Of A Kind
    May 2, 2018

    This is a total waste of time

  16. dee
    May 2, 2018

    Darroux man
    i’m so surprised at you .
    you hope to draw attention to those who chose to abandon their country , in some case trample on their country?
    Man like you Darroux, always opening allu mouth to let others know how wicked you all are . You mean to tell me if a nurse embrace an opportunity to better qualify herself , enrich herself and family, live a more fulfilled life elsewhere( even for a while)she should not exercise her right, as a living human being, so to choose to do ?
    Garcon that’s why i say i dow involving in politics you know .You guys would much prefer them to stay in Da, earning peanuts just so they could come to you guys for assistance, and for you guys to exploit them? allu going about flashing allu tokens of wealth, trying to bribe their emotions and you want them to stay like that all their life ?
    Just for allu to say allu had this nurse and that nurse ?
    Let them nurses go out there and experience what it is like to live in a developed country , man go…

    • May 3, 2018

      MY SENTIMENTS !

  17. Da passports
    May 2, 2018

    All laborites who leave the country are sore losers that’s for sure, where ya going? The people you vote for still here 8) 8) 8) :lol:

  18. ?????????????????
    May 2, 2018

    Well said!!! We only know who is our friend when hardship falls on us. We all are going through our personal trials but we have to be sympathetic with others who may be going through worse than us. Though we have ours, we still have to listen to others. when I woke up on Tuesday Morning and saw the destruction all around me, my roof gone was not a problem anymore. I was advised (can you imagine to live) but I declined because I knew my country and people needed me. I would never abandon my neigbours, family and friends. I actually was sane enough and I saw persons walking aimlessly, with no direction. I thank God that I was strong to hug some, say some encouraging words like we are alive, you will get a better house and so forth. I could never abandon my people and my country. Now the runaways are coming back in droves. Lesson: Everyone has their own challenges; Every country has its own challenges. Money is not all.

    I rest my case. Blessed day to all.

    • Treadstone
      May 2, 2018

      Good for you for not leaving, and good for those who left to better the lives of their families. To each, his own. Who feels it, knows. I wish ALL of our nurses well – those who have left and those who decided to stay. By the way, moving to another country to better oneself financially and economically is not abandonment of one’s country. Some of the financial benefits that accrue to those that left are send back as remittances to family in Dominica. Those remittances make up a large part of the local economy. In addition, those who left became part of the diaspora who are able to pitch together to help the island when local disasters occur. And if you say that the Dominican diaspora did nothing to help Dominica after Maria, then shame on you!

      • The Calabash
        May 3, 2018

        Treadstone, you are really on point here. Am surprised at the ministers defensiveness. His comments were out of bounds

    • shewo
      May 2, 2018

      Girl i didnt want to answer nah but you making my belly boil. Money is not all?

      Tell that to my landlord.
      Tell that to dowasco domlec and internet provider
      Tell that to courts
      Tell that to fast cash
      Tell that to the credit union for the car i paying for from which u begging a ride when i pass by
      Tell that to the doctors and pharmacy
      Tell that to jays and astaphans and uniform center
      And i will tell that to beauty wise when i need to be on flick
      I blue vex dere wi

  19. My opinion NOT yours
    May 2, 2018

    All the rest of the nurses should leave.
    Allu drawing allu big salaries after Maria n living nice life.
    But nurses should stay for country when they cannot even make ends meet.
    “Abandoned their country” my foot. Country where you cannot eat good food on a daily basis and dress nice every weekend whilst working day in day out.
    That is what people wrk hard for, to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
    Every time you reap your fruits they blem.
    I voted Labour three times and refused to vote them a next time.
    Refused to vote UWP also cause I know by now they are spoiled, they in opposition for to long so they will take a lot if they get in, you think Linton will not take back all what he paid in court? guess again.
    Well my next option was to go and see what’s on the other side, and to tell you the truth it’s way better than back home.

    • Neville
      May 3, 2018

      All nurses, all government employees, all Doctors, infact everybody should go. Then that useless corrupt government has only the rats and parrots left to govern. At least they won’t get any backchat from them. Dominica is a failed state. The total collapse is just around the corner.

    • Laughter the best medicine
      May 3, 2018

      Mr.Man,
      I don’t know if I should address U as Dr.Darroux or D A Darroux ( figure what DA can Mean, even Dominica’s Darroux) U are such an AH.(figure this one out also.) It is sad to have brainless guys like the Neo DLP representing DA as Ministers.This current state of affairs on the Commonwealth is pathetic.
      You guys need to be picked up in Pjs at 2:00 am and locked up where nobody know. Each cell of operatives independently should pick u guys up ans jail u guys with indvidual cells not knowing who is doing what. U might be in in an underground cell on Mt Diabotin, Reggie in a cell in salisbury 7 not even the pal rep there would not be aware u are in jail in salisburySkerro could be in one in Marigot & LLdon’t have a clue. That’s how it shoulld end 4 U guys.

  20. Nurse
    May 2, 2018

    Do your job Dr Darroux instead of looking all about at everybody else and you won’t have such dissatisfaction in the nurses. You need to take care of them instead of taking the side of the selfish cabal.

  21. Ibo France
    May 2, 2018

    The fish starts rotting from the head. The port workers were brutally castigated and threatened by the PM. Now this Minister questioning the motives of the suffering nurses who have been crying foul about their meager salaries and abominable working conditions for years. How did this man get elected? The people must have been severely inebriated when they went to the polling stations. There is not even a modicum of concern for the nurses’ deplorable situation. Every aspect of life in Dominica is rapidly deteriorating. The reality is too ugly. Listening to the leader and his disciples expound on issues adversely affecting the country is agonizingly debilitating.

  22. FloridIan diaspora
    May 2, 2018

    Boy one thing I suspect is Maria was very convenient for this lazy government. Everytime they want to make some sort of lame excuse they reference hurricane Maria. This pink panther darroux claims that there’s nothing wrong with asking for a raise but the timing is wrong. On the flip side this thugs in office keeps on getting raises before or after hurricanes, winter or summer. The bewildered baboon also wants to know what’s the motive of the forces behind riling up the nurses. Looks like he expects the nurses to do maximum work for minimum pay and peoplr will just sit back and shut their mouths. What I personally want to know is what is his motive for bringing in cabana nurses (they will be well pampered by the way) when we have people here that can do the job? Are we shifting gears in communism? Are we going from part time to full time communism?

  23. Irma
    May 2, 2018

    Darroux don’t fool yourself. Those who stayed are those who cannot run. Probably a mortgage crippling them, or they probably just biding their time to get their gratuity (20 years of service).

    At this point in time, anybody who is still in Dominica are those who have no way out. This country is a failed state.

    • Ibo France
      May 3, 2018

      Oh Irma, perfectly said! You are, in my very honest opinion, 100% right. Those nurses have stayed because they are trapped with financial commitments. No reasonable or sane person would want to live one month’s salary away from total destitution. Nurses, agitate vigorously until you receive what is justly yours. Don’t be satisfied with mere pittance. The overly bloated government ministers ensur that they reward themselves handsomely for reducing the country to rubble.

  24. May 2, 2018

    Darroux what happened you didn’t go and recruit NURSES you said but days after you said that we are expecting 20 nurses to join the PMH staff .
    Now what about the Hospital for the North that you said will be rebuild in the village of Margot will that ever come thru you and your party will pay the price for lying to people of Dominica.

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