PS Watkins is a ticking time bomb

THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH CAN GO UP IN FLAMES! AGAIN!
Only this time, the conflagration will be figurative, according to worried employees of the Lot 1,
Brickdam, headquarters.
They predict Permanent Secretary (PS) Malcolm Watkins is poised to trigger the inferno.
Watkins, workers fear, is flammable.
He is very combustible. His unpredictable actions will ignite
“He is a ticking time bomb” warned an employee.
Combined with his unprofessional conduct, and high quality vindictiveness to hapless staff –
junior and senior alike – employees told www.aroundtheregions.com “something has to be done
about this soon because we cannot continue” under these venomous working conditions.
Since his arrival, about 10 months ago, Watkins has been a law unto himself and “nobody can
question or challenge his actions. While he used to work here (before) he (now) operates as
though he is the only knowledgeable person around and it is creating undue friction,” a senior
employee bitterly complained.
As a social awkward, the unpopular PS has singlehandedly bred workplace toxins in the health
ministry second to maybe the current virulent atmosphere left by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Watkins hired armed to patrol the compound, it took workers by surprise, including all
senior staff members. www.aroundtheregions.com understands when Health Minister, Dr Frank
Anthony, queried the presence of the guards, Watkins explained intuitions of covenants already
hatched to harm him.

“Can you imagine this (man) feels that people at the ministry here wants to do him something so
even though (Minister) Frank (Anthony)spoke to him he has these body guards walking around
with (weapons) in plain view of staff? This isn’t right,” another employee complained.
A well-placed source said Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Narine Singh confronted the PS and
expressed his unhappiness with his unilateral decision which has been traumatising staff
members.
“It is clear that PS Watkins is seeking to either make a point that he has power or that he is
seeking to impress somebody because this type of behavior should not be tolerated and needs to
be addressed,” a knowledgeable source told this media house.
Employees admit being terrified to publicly expose Watkins’ frequent outbursts for fear of
victimisation.
“If we go public, we know our jobs are gone because the spite and discrimination will not finish.
But sadly, when the media expose these matters, instead of the higher authorities using it as a
yardstick to better understand what is taking place, they are quick to dismiss this making us feel
as though we should have kept our mouths shut,” an aggrieved employee admitted.
Some recalled the lyrics of the late Jamaican Reggae Icon, Peter Tosh: “Sorry fi Maga Dog, Him
turn around bite you”.
“Can you imagine that even to Dr. Leslie Ramsammy (one of two former health ministers now
consultants to Dr Frank Anthony) this man is very rude and disrespectful to? He isn’t thankful
for what the government offered to him and its sad seeing what Mr. Ramsammy would have
done for him and he is so ungrateful,” an employee said.
“The exchange was so embarrassing…it is despicable and unacceptable. It’s time that the
President step in and address this matter as the uncertainty, fear and discomfort that staff are
working under are enormous,” the employee said.
Fear is ubiquitous at Lot 1, Brickdam.

“I have chosen to just look on, as I have seen this numerous times before. The PS is
operating like this because he is confident that his job is secured. While he boasting that he
can leave at any time, and is not afraid of losing the job, those who can take action will not
do so, as at the end of the day he is a political supporter,” the employee predicted.