Stopping critical allowance a demoralizing move

AS healthcare professionals, we work with passion to serve and to heal the sick. However, the recent announcement by the Public Service Department (JPA) that future generations of doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals in the civil sector would no longer be entitled to the critical allowance has been most demoralising to our professions.

According to the aforementioned circular by the JPA, the critical allowance was introduced in 1992 for jobs deemed to be difficult to fill. A review done recently revealed that these jobs are no longer difficult to fill, perhaps due in part to the recent oversupply of these professionals leading to stiff competition to vie for limited civil service posts.