NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (May 16, 2019) — Nurses at the Alexandra Hospital on Nevis showered praise on Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams Junior Minister of Health on Friday May 10, 2019, after her tangible show of appreciation to the health workers.

Mrs. Aldris Pemberton Dias, Matron at the hospital, conveyed gratitude on behalf of the nurses and members of the Nevis Nurses Association, when Mrs. Brandy-Williams presented them with tokens of appreciation, during Nurses Week 2019.

“On behalf of all of us we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our Minister of Health. We never had this before and we are so pleased. We feel your passion, Minister, and we’ll work along with you.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude on behalf of the nurses, the nurse managers, the staff nurses, the nursing assistants, the EMTs and our nursing attendants and all the patients of Alexandra Hospital…We would like to express our sincere gratitude to you for your kind gesture today. We really do appreciate it,” she said.

Matron Dias also expressed gratitude on behalf of the Nevis Nurses Association, an entity not run by the nursing administration.

Minister Brandy-Williams said the gesture stemmed from the nurses’ years of commitment and dedication to duty and the close working relationship they have forged with her since she became the Minister of Health.

“I do appreciate their commitment over the years and I now commit myself to working with them. I am cognisant that the little token could in no way compensate them for their service but it is just a token of my love and appreciation for working closely with me over the past year and a half,” she told the Department of Information on May 16, 2019.

The minister noted that the Nurses on Nevis continue to make the community and society of Nevis proud in the service they render daily, and as part of their celebrations this year it was fitting to present them with tokens of appreciation.

At the presentation ceremony she assured the nurses that the Nevis Island Administration is grateful for their service and is committed to supporting the new areas they want to implement.

“We are totally committed to the work that you are doing. We continue to give our commitment in all the new areas that you want to introduce.

“I am saying to you, you have my commitment. You have the commitment of the Honourable Premier, who is the senior minister, and by extension the entire Cabinet, and I want to believe, and I take the liberty to say you have the commitment of the people of Nevis in encouraging you to continue the awesome service that you have been delivering here at Alexandra over the years,” she said.

Among those present were Mrs. Shelisa Martin-Clarke, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, and Mrs. Jessica Scarborough, Assistant Matron.

On May 13, 2019, the Health minister also distributed tokens to Community Health Nurses in all the six districts on the island.  At the end of the distribution exercise a total of 116 gift bags were distributed.

On Sunday May 12, there was a church service in celebration of Nurses Day and Mothers’ Day at the St. James’ Anglican Church after which the nurses were treated to a brunch at Yachtman’s Grill by Minister Brandy-Williams.