The suspension of the nursing programme at the Linden based, Charles Rosa Nursing School will have an adverse effect on employment and by extension, the Linden, Region 10 economy, Linden’s Mayor Waneka Arrindell predicts.
Speaking exclusively with this publication, Mayor Arrindell called on the government to “re-visit” this decision, “it is going to mean a lot more young people are going to be out of jobs,” she said, “I do hope that a different strategy would be taken to deal with this situation and no building or school opened for the betterment of a country should be closed for minor issues,” the Mayor emphasised.
Last week, the Ministry of Health announced the suspension of Batch #66 and Class #17 of the nursing programmes, citing among other things, that the school which is located in the mining town was training more persons from Region 10 with nominal placements from Regions 1,7,8 and 9.
Mayor Arrindell feels that if there is an administrative process that allows for quotas of students, there should be a system to “balance out the enrolment” of students, “If there is a percentage system set in black and white, of course, if it says 20% from Linden, 5% from Region 7, 10% from Region 8, that system should be followed, I see no reason to close a school based on the fact that you thought more persons were coming from a specific region as against another.”
Additionally, the Mayor feels that the suspension of the school contradicts President’s Ali’s talk of job creation and equality for all citizens, “Linden is feeling as though that (jobs) is not being extended to them, especially with the closing of this school.”
The Linden Mayor said that the issue is yet to be raised with the Town Council. Asked if the Council plans to write the Head of State on the matter, she said that two letters to the President on various issues affecting Linden, remain unanswered.