NATIONAL Nurses Credit Union Co-operative Society Limited head Neisha Nedd said the opening of the National Nurses Credit Union Co-operative Society Limited is a revolution in how nurses can care for each other on a socio-economic level.
Speaking at the launch of the union, located at the Alleyne Rawling Building, 39 Warren Street, St Augustine, on May 13, Nedd said the day was a historic one for the local nursing fraternity.
“As highly educated professionals with marketable skills and stable incomes, nurses contribute to our country's economic strength by supporting businesses, generating tax revenues, and creating job opportunities within healthcare and related industries. Additionally, we contribute by creating and managing small businesses and entrepreneurship.
“The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Nurses Day 2025 theme is Our Nurses, Our Future: Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies. With this in mind, our credit union directly supports ICN as we are in the business of caring for the nurses and midwives' economic well-being and financial freedom.”
She said the credit union’s mission was to serve and support nurses and midwifery personnel by providing tailored financial solutions, exceptional service, and educational resources that enhance their financial well-being.
“Members are empowered to make smart financial decisions, creating the best possible future for them and their families and, take control of their financial future. In so doing, we envision financial opportunities and stability for every member.”
TT National Nurses Association head Idi Stuart said having a credit union for nurses was one of the TTNNA’s major goals, similar to police, fire and teachers, while it lobbied governments for better terms and conditions.
“We would have a financial institution, a co-operative of our own, where we can get reduced rates, we can benefit from products that can service our members, we can offer scholarships, education loan facilities, conference loan facilities. We are proud we were able to achieve this.”
He said the credit union will be a stand-alone organisation, independent of the association. He said he expected the members would join the credit union and make it as vibrant and robust as the other unions.
Speaking to media after the launch, he said one goal of the credit union was to be able to provide services which nurses could not get from other financial institutions.
“Because nursing and midwifery personnel are so poorly paid, poorly compensated, we have to continuously find a number of ways to be able to supplement their salaries to be able to qualify for loans. We are unable to go to other financial institutions to qualify for a mortgage, a car, any sort of loan really, on the temporary form of employment which some of our colleagues continue to operate under.
“So we are finding innovative ways to provide supplementation to those nursing salaries, while we continue to lobby the government of the day for better terms and conditions. We have a number of social programmes i
