Over the past two years, I have received medical consultation and prescriptions from Dr. Buffonge. During the said period, I have had consultations and was subsequently prescribed for by leading physicians in New York, where I have received a yearly medical/physical every year since 1990.
It was heartening to find that the prescriptions provided by Dr. Buffonge are the same as those I have received from my primary physician in New York. It is without hesitancy therefore, that I say Montserrat has been lucky to have produced a medical practitioner of such a high quality.
In a discussion with my primary physician in New York, he asked me how a physician as skilled as Dr. Buffonge survives in Montserrat, given our small population. My answer was I believe she is patriotic. The question that comes to mind is, what encouragement or incentives do we provide to high quality home grown professionals, so as to keep them?
I asked the fore gone question because in the outside world, emphasis is placed on retention of valued employees. I recall that in two thousand and two (2002), I decided to retire and return to Montserrat after eighteen consecutive years in the United States. Board members tried to convince me that another three years would not hurt. However I did not change my plans. I say that to say incentives do not always work in effort to retain high level performers. However where we find them let us try to retain them.
Dr. Buffonge is a young woman who has demonstrated a love for country and desire to provide a high level service.
Consequently we should encourage her to continue the good work which she is doing. On the other hand, we have observed lackadaisical behavior and low performance in both the public and private sectors. The latter will most likely dampen the spirit of high performers if allowed to continue. We therefore urge those low performers to emulate good work attitudes.
Dr. Buffonge has raised the bar and it is incumbent on others to follow her demonstrated abilities, so as to improve service delivery leading to a better quality of life among our small population. On behalf of those who have benefited form Dr. Buffonge’s commitment to country and self, I say thank you Dr. Buffonge.
Neville A. Samuels
BA, MSW, MS (ADMIN)
