Five retired enrolled nurses from St Ann’s Bay Hospitalwere honoured and feted in Ocho Rios, St Ann Friday evening, May 9, by the Enrolled Nurses group of the hospital. The retiree appreciation ceremony took the form of dinner at Passage to India Restaurant, in Ocho Rios, St Ann. The five and the number of years served are:CarollDaCosta — 38, Leonie Barbagee—40; Beverley Mignott—36, Doreen White– 35, and Violet Atkinson 36 Two of them, White and Atkinsonwere unavoidably absent but were celebrated and acknowledged all the same. Among them, the nurses served for 185 years
CEO of the St Ann’s Bay Hospital, Leo Garrelin saluting the women said in the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA), May is observed as pension month. He said the link between retirement and pensions was an easy one to make and people should consider while they were working whether their pensions were secure. He said it was tough for some people who did not make preparations for their retirement years. “Retirement is really good, if you are ready for retirement,” Mr Garrel said
Also taking on the pension issue was guest speaker Dr Horace Betton a former SMO. He encouraged the retiring nurses to consider getting involved in income generating activities once they were healthy enough to do so. Dr Betton said many people all over the world were finding that, even where they had pensions, their pensions were not enough and that they found it necessary to work beyond their formal retirement. “Your pension alone is not going to cut it,” Dr Bettonsaid. “As long as there is health and strength in your body, find something to do.” He said even where financial arrangements were made for retirement, sometimes what seemed a “solid figure”was no longer so. Referring to the effect of the dollar devaluation on Jamaicans, Dr Bettonsaid that when he retired three years ago the value of the Jamaican dollar was $86 to US$1 and today it is more than $110 to US$1. He said many people who considered that they had a safe pension to carry them through could findthat is no longer so, because of factors outside of their control. Making mention of reports of health workers protesting, in another region, over their deductions not being paid over to the relevant agencies, he said he hoped that would not be a problem for the health workers of NEHRA and that all the benefits to be derived by the retirees would be available to them. Two nurses – KareenLewin Miller and Duenna Ingram read citations placing the service of the five women in context. Nurse Deseree McKenzie rendered a song. Among those giving brief tributes were: Dr Richard Hall and Dr Derrick McDowell. Also attending was Dr Carey Fletcherand his wife. Emcee was Carmen Johnson a sister at the hospital
