Founder (President from 1936-1946)
The Barbados Nurses Association (BNA) was formerly the Barbados Registered Nurses Association (BRNA) and is a not for profit Association.
It was founded in the decade of the thirties by a great nurse, the innovative and visionary Eunice Gibson, who saw the need for unity and a professional fraternity, at a time when there was growing restlessness and discontent among nurses at the Barbados General Hospital, due to appalling conditions of service at the time.
The vision and foresight of Miss Gibson along with support from eleven farsighted colleagues resulted in the formation of the BRNA in July 1936. The association has been blessed with a number of outstanding persons at the helm and the present President is Mrs. C. Joannah Waterman.
The Association was incorporated by an Act of Parliament on February 15th, 1943 under CAP 354 of the Laws of Barbados through the BRNA Act 1943-146. The Act makes provision for the BRNA as a body politic and corporate to:
• Manage its own internal affairs (set its own rules/regulations)
• Plan and execute programmes for the benefit of its members
• Engage in real estate transactions
• Negotiate loans for the benefit of its members
• Have perpetual succession – continue as an organization under its registered name.
The BNA is a Professional Nurses Association and the second of its kind in the commonwealth Caribbean. It is recognised by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) as the duly representative National Nurses Association for Nurses in Barbados since 1957.
The BNA obtained trade union status in 1990 and has a Trade Union (SEW & Industrial Relations) Department. The BNA is a founding member of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB). It negotiates with government under the umbrella of CTUSAB for terms and conditions of service for its members. The BNA meets with the Ministry of Health and the management of various institutions to discuss and agree on terms and conditions of service for its members, as well as other areas of concern to the members.
The management of the BNA is guided by the by-laws which are set out in the Constitution. The management structure of the BNA comprises the Executive Committee elected by the members and made up of 8 officers, 2 floor members, 5 Chairmen of committees and the Immediate Past President. These Executive Members with the exception of the Immediate Past President are elected every two years.
The Constitution is the final authority on the governance and management of the BNA. The Executive shall decide on any matter not addressed in the constitution, and the decision shall be binding on the members. The Executive Committee shall seek to canvass wide member opinions before making its decision on those matters. The Constitution makes provision for addressing vacancies, if occurring at times other than at elections. The structure provides for a potential 20 member Executive Committee to conduct the business of the BNA. An Administrative Officer and an Assistant administers the secretariat. A firm of Chartered Accountants audits the Association’s financial accounting annually.
| Presidents | Term of Office |
|---|---|
| Miss Eunice Gibson | 1936 - 1946 |
| Lady Rosita Scott | 1946 - 1952 |
| Miss Eunice Chandler | 1952 - 1959 |
| Mrs. Grace Jordan (now Grace Lady Jordan) | 1959 - 1960 |
| Mrs. Floretta Reeves | 1960 - 1961 |
| Mrs. Ilene Murray-Aynsley | 1961 - 1965 |
| Miss Grace Pilgrim | 1965 - 1969 |
| Rev. Colton Bennett | 1969 - 1974 |
| Mrs. Perleta Hinds | 1974 - 1976 |
| Mrs. Maria Babb | 1976 - 1977 |
| Miss Dorothy Ramsay | 1977 - 1978 |
| Mr. George Griffith | 1978 - 1982 |
| Mrs. Patricia Wickham | 1982 - 1984 |
| Mrs. Olga Devonish | 1984 - 1987 |
| Miss Eleane Hunte | 1987 - 1990 |
| Mrs. Peggy Rickinson | 1990 - 1994 |
| Mrs. Flynn Denny | 1994 - 1996 |
| Mrs. Angela Crawford | 1996 - 2001 |
| Mrs. Marion Howard | 2001 - 2005 |
| Mrs. Paulette Drakes | 2005 - 2011 |
| Mrs. Blondelle Mullin | 2011 - 2017 |
| Mrs. C. Joannah Waterman | 2017 - 2020 |
| Mrs. Valarie Francis-Miller | 2020-2023 |
| Dr. Fay G. Parris | 2023-2025 |
United in Service
Gibson House, Lower Collymore Rock
St. Michael
The BNA welcomes Subscribers to assist in promoting health awareness where ever it is needed. We urge you to come on board as we embark on this transition into a healthier Barbados.
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