KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Public-sector nurse practitioners are the latest group of healthcare professionals to sign the Heads of Agreement with the Government for the 2015/2017 contract period.

At a ceremony held at the Finance and the Public Service Ministry in Kingston today, the nurse practitioners signed the two-year wage agreement under which they will receive a four per cent salary increase for year one and three per cent in year two.

Addressing the ceremony, Minister of State with responsibility for the Public Service, Rudyard Spencer, said the Government was only able to give what it is able to afford.

“Now, more than ever, when you have an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), you really can’t give more,” he said.

Spencer lauded the National Workers Union (NWU), which lobbied on behalf of the nurse practitioners, for their “tolerance and their understanding of the issues”.

Meanwhile, NWU Vice President, Arthur Grant, expressed pleasure at the signing of the agreement that will include provisions for education and training.

“We believe that the grant of one million dollars for nurse practitioners (for training) will be a good start. It is an indication that we are headed in the right direction,” he said. Grant noted that the Jamaica Association of Nurse Practitioners and the NWU believe in the promotion of continuous professional development.