Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Health Minister Ruddy Spencer were yesterday firmly rebuffed by protesting nurses in a dramatic spectacle, metres from the nation's Parliament building.

President of the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ), Edith Allwood-Anderson, said that the decision to protest was made at a meeting early yesterday. She said the action of the nurses was precipitated by a letter from state minister in the Finance Ministry, Arthur Williams.

The letter reportedly stated that the long-overdue reclassification of nurses would be implemented in another 14 weeks, which would push the date into early next year.

However, the health minister disclaimed knowledge of the letter and asked the nurses for additional time to sort out the issue.

"I am surprised to see them out here … I did not know the nurses had a problem," Spencer told The Gleaner.

Rejected proposal

As Spencer sought to appease Allwood-Anderson, the protesting nurses vociferously rejected the health minister's proposal to meet at a later date.

Later, he told The Gleaner that the letter had reached his office.

In the midst of the protest, Golding was forced to confront the fury of the placard-waving nurses on his way to Parliament.

Golding told Allwood-Anderson that Cabinet had received the submission on the reclassification 15 minutes before the start and could not have studied the contents.

The prime minister requested another week to address the issue, after which he would meet with the leadership of the NAJ.

"We don't need to fight," Golding told Allwood-Anderson.

This did not go down well with the nurses.

An intense exchange between Golding and Allwood-Anderson lasting more than 10 minutes ensued where the latter accused the Government of short-changing nurses.

During the exchange, Golding suggested that the NAJ president was playing to the camera.

The angry nurses erupted in a noisy dissenting voice and Golding and members of his security detail turned and walked down Duke Street into Gordon House.

Later, Spencer would change his tack by appealing to Allwood-Anderson and her team to meet with him immediately.

However, the nurses were in no mood to talk.

The matter is now before the Ministry of Labour.

gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com