14 Jun 2004

Solomons Health Minister hits out at RAMSI's tight control of the purse strings

7:02 pm on 14 June 2004

The Solomon Islands Health Minister, Benjamin Una, says the country is desperately short of 20 to 30 doctors and he wants to attract back 27 Solomons doctors working overseas.

Mr Una wants to improve their salary conditions but he says RAMSI won't allow it.

He says while Cabinet believes it has the money to pay for the accommodation of doctors, RAMSI has over ridden their decision.

"We are here to make rules. We are here to make regulations and policies. But the RAMSI only come here to do what we request or tell them to do, but not for them to tell us what to do or to give us directives"

Mr Una says that the Government is considering a review of its arrangements with RAMSI when Parliament next sits.