Online feedback

Below are edited excerpts from comments posted by online readers to yesterday's cover story 'Health emergency' that reported that patients were unable to obtain treatment at several of the island's public-health facilities due to industrial action by health workers.

Dangerous strikes

People who are taking industrial action are supposed to state to the authorities the reason for that action. It is not the authorities who are supposed to guess what the issue is. I suppose if people die as a result the 'strikers' will feel victorious. I just don't get it. I am a government-paid employee with many of the same issues they have - I am at work doing my job and nobody's life depends on me.

- Pangirl1968

IMF pressures health budget

The regime policy of handing the country over to the International Monetary Fund /World Bank put us in a position where we can't fund the health-care system (supplies and resources, paying the nurses etc), and funding the public sector at large.

- Synenergy

Shame on you all!

To me the protest by these medical workers is similar to the gunman who shoots another individual without regard. Does anyone know how many people died because they could not get medical attention during the protest? Can someone say? Shame! shame! shame on you all. Yes, you need your allowances but there are many more ways you could go about it. What you did goes to show that your first priority is money not health. I know there must be some who were not in agreement but you were in the minority. To you I say bravo. The Jamaica Medical Doctors Association are in agreement? "Dog nyam wi suppa".

- Adelroy36

Striking workers thankless for jobs

Governments of many First World countries with GDP several times that of Jamaica's anaemic economic performance have to take tough decisions totally oblivious of thousands of protesting workers. We are no different and, therefore, the government must cement it's unpopularity by remaining pragmatic regardless.

Those striking workers do not realise how fortunate they are to have jobs so they can strike. My good friend used to say "it little but it regular". Government must start to seperate striking workers from their essential jobs. I agree that workers should be fairly compensated, but when they and their unions act as if they do not understand that the Government does not enjoy the fiscal flexibility to compensate, without devastating implications, then perhaps these workers would be better off sitting at home.

- Kris