It’s deeply disheartening to hear Minister Camillo Gonsalves’ claim in a recent article on St. Vincent and the Grenadines having a low unemployment rate, especially when my own experiences and those of my nursing school colleagues paint a starkly different picture.
As a first-time voter in his constituency, I find it insulting that such pronouncements are made while young professionals like myself are struggling to find secure footing. I entered the nursing programme at UWI through SVG Community College with high hopes, fueled by the promise of opportunity and the significant support the government provided towards my tuition.
I am immensely grateful for that assistance, but the arduous journey through the programme and the subsequent barriers to licensure have left me feeling betrayed. The brutal reality is that after two failed attempts at the practical exam, many of us have lost faith, feeling like pawns in a scheme where we invested years of hard work and money only to be robbed of our future.
The victimisation and disrespect we faced throughout our nursing education are unacceptable. For over two years, we and the associates of nursing batch have pleaded with government officials to address our grievances: the poor standards of the exam, the deplorable mistreatment by lecturers, the neglect during practice, and the overall mismanagement of our cohorts.
Yet, our cries have gone unanswered. Despite our persistent pleas, our voices have been ignored, leaving us feeling abandoned by the very institution that once promised opportunity. The stark reality is that a mere fraction of our class has managed to pass the practical exam, prompting me to question how any young, hardworking individual can truly flourish in a nation where the government appears indifferent to systemic injustices.
Many of the nurses who mentored us in the field have cried outrage at the poor performance in comparison to our country’s previous performances in recent years. I’m left wondering how any young, hardworking individual can truly thrive in a country where the very government that offered opportunity seems to turn a blind eye to injustice. It’s difficult to reconcile the promise of a bright future with the reality of systemic barriers and a lack of accountability.
This isn’t about political affiliations; it’s about fundamental fairness and the broken promises that have left many of us floundering. The pervasive feeling of being failed by the system, the deliberate obstacles placed in our paths, and the apparent disregard for our futures all contribute to a sense of profound disillusionment. It’s a cruel irony to have invested so much time and effort, only to be met with systemic barriers that seem designed to crush our aspirations. The pursuit of justice and accountability is what truly matters in this situation.
While this current obstacle stings, I’m holding firm to the conviction that future opportunities are on the horizon, both regionally and potentially even internationally, where I can utilise my degree. However, my deepest disappointment lies with the plight of the associate of nursing batch 43 students.
They dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the programme, only to be denied their degrees due to what I see as a fundamentally unfair and short-sighted policy enacted by the Community College. The thought of them now being reduced to menial labour, without the formal recognition of their four years of relentless effort and commitment is truly devastating. Their degrees were essentially stolen from them, a consequence of those in positions of authority prioritising ego over what was right, both for these students and for the struggling healthcare system desperately in need of qualified nurses. Instead of upholding fairness and compassion, they were targeted based on an anonymous post, the author of which remains unknown.
Struggling For A Toehold
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Well, after all this its left to be seen if the pathological deceitful incumbent FM will be re-elected as a government minister again.
This is very upsetting, and I wish to take a line from your post “this isn’t a about political affiliation”… I am glad you said that because this is about restoration! Restoration of our pride and dignity, restoration or our nations public image. The only thing I can say to you is to, keep all that has been done to you and your colleagues in mind come this general election. This is the time for a political response tho show that we demand better than what we face in this country.
I applaud the writer of this for calling a spade a spade and laying out her own heart wrenching experience in such a forthright manner, and calling out the Minister of Finance for his absolutely ridiculous statement about employment levels in the country . Nuff said!
the best days in nursing training ended in 2001.
None of your overly generalized grievances are the fault of the government, at least at the advanced level of your accreditation. Rather, they lie in our dumbed-down primary and secondary school education system — which we share with other Caribbean countries — resulting in the social promotion of poorly educated and poorly motivated students.
Alena, strongly agree.
Nursing used to be a fail proof profession as far as the practicals are concerned. Students entered at the lowest rung and advanced as they succeeded academically. All students are practically oriented and should be taught that way. Education is now scientific and results can be guaranteed once certain research based classroom instructions are followed. Anthony G Stewart, PhD.