The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security is in the process of recruiting administrative staff for the Palms, a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release said yesterday.

At a press conference held last month, following industrial action by several nurses and other employees of the Brickdam institution, Minister Bibi Shadick had said senior supervisory staff would be recruited.

Last month nurses had protested the conditions at the old age home.

GINA said the move was intended to increase the efficiency of the Palms which has a staff of 102 including 81 nurses, and houses approximately 300 residents. The release stated that ministers Shadick and Dr Dale Bisnauth, had contradicted the complaints made by residents, nurses and other staff regarding “poor conditions” at the institution.

Meanwhile, $6M of the ministry’s $8M capital budget for this year has been earmarked for repairs to the institution, the release said. It also noted that the ministry expended a substantial sum for the daily operations of the Palms since more than $3.5M has been spent for the first five months.

Officials of the ministry hope to complete the recruitment and rehabilitation process as early as possible, the release added.