Dear Editor,
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago has indicated that our Government is preparing to contract doctors from Trinidad and Tobago. In light of this development, I respectfully request that the Government of Guyana provide full transparency to the citizens of this country. Specifically, the Guyanese people deserve clear answers to the following questions:
What are the medical specialisations of the doctors being hired, and how many are being contracted in each specialty?
What is the duration of the contracts being offered to these doctors?
What are the expected salaries, allowances, and benefits that will be provided to them?
What additional associated costs including housing, transportation, insurance, or relocation support will be funded by the Government?
Where will these doctors be placed within the public health system? Are they intended for regional hospitals, health centres, or the Georgetown Public Hospital?
What criteria or process was used to select these doctors, and were local doctors given priority or consideration?
What is the total projected cost to taxpayers for this initiative?
What deficiencies or shortages in our current health system prompted the decision to recruit doctors externally?
What measures will be put in place to ensure accountability, performance, and competence of the contracted doctors?
Will the names and credentials of the doctors be made public so that independent verification and background checks can be conducted?
Was this decision subject to any bilateral agreement, and if so, will the details of that agreement be tabled in the National Assembly?
How will this decision impact opportunities, morale, and career progression for Guyanese medical professionals currently in the system?
The people of Guyana have every right to full disclosure on this matter, especially given the financial, professional, and societal implications. Transparency must be the foundation of any decision involving foreign recruitment within our healthcare sector.