Region One healthcare workers will be paid – REO assures

THE Ministry of Health (MoH) will pay more than 70 workers despite a slew of labour
violations by Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Steven Cheefoon Regional Executive Officer
(REO), Mr. Teka Bissessar assured.
“The RHO did not follow the protocol when he employed 79 persons as healthcare workers,
notwithstanding COVID-19 pandemic. As such…these persons (will) get paid irrespective of
who they are or where they came from,” Bissessar assured www.aroundtheregions.com in an
exclusive interview.

Several of the affected workers vented their frustration on social media while others disclosed
that Dr. Cheefoon nonchalantly dismissed their concerns suggesting the impatient ones should
leave the sector.
Most of the affected healthcare workers are employed at the Kumaka and Port Kaituma
hospitals. The doctor in charge at Kumaka hospital, Dr Derron Moonsammy and the Hospital’s
Administrator Ms. Eleni La Rose were, aware of the workers plight but their efforts to bring
resolution through Cheefoon were unproductive.
It took the intervention of Regional Chairman, Mr. Brentnol Ashely, to get movement in favour
of the workers recruited at the height of the deadly, ongoing outbreak of virus which so far has
killed 170 Guyanese.
“The issue of spending must get my approval first before it can be done and I am being
very firm on this,’ Bissessar emphasised pointing to Cheefoon numerous missteps.