Butters says Politics have overrun LHC protest

WHAT STARTED AS A LEGITIMATE INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE is now politicised trade
unionist Mr. Maurice Butters insists.
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) workers representative told www.aroundtheregions.com that
the experienced labour body tried its best to keep politics out of the dispute but the government ensured
that happened.
“My position to the (nurses) is that even if it comes to a point where they have to return to work, they
should hold their heads high as they have achieved a lot and they have not lost. I have told them they were
not defeated as through their actions they have highlighted a number of issues and no nurse wants to
engage (CEO, Mr. Rudy) Small in any relationship. Any relationship with Rudy Small and nurses at LHC
have been permanently destroyed. They should have some amount of pride that they succeeded in doing
quite a lot of things and because of this they should feel a sense of confidence.” Butters told this media
house.
He said despite the stubborn obstinacy and reluctancy of Government in moving the controversial Small,
life for Small will never be the same at LHC as he is despised by almost every nurse and no one will forge
any form of relationship with him. Butters drew attention to some of the initiatives which Small sought to
exploit or seek special attention from nurses. HE named the ‘Dinner with the CEO’ as a shameless and
blatant attempt by the CEO to advance personal and private desires towards nurses.
“Politics have taken control of the entire situation as while we never wanted it to be seen as a political
matter the government sought to raise it politically for their own convenience. We were hoping that the
politics wouldn’t have gotten involved but they (gov) have changed the entire scenario to a political
matter. Because they have spun it politically they are playing the hardline,” Butters argued.
He said that instead the government seeing it as a senior official stepping out of line, they viewed it as
Linden, thus assuming that it’s a PPP/C versus a APNU matter.

“They see it as Linden because Linden has always been in the forefront and Linden has always given
them problems where certain things are concerned,” he argued.
Butters said that he and the nurses are pleased that some Ministers and other senior Government officials
have reached out to them expressing support over the situation.
“Many persons in authority are not in agreement with what is going on right now. Many of them have
expressed their views and even asked for Small to be removed, but because of the politics they are not
conceding, thus resulting in them not moving the man,” Butters said.
Former Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, now one of two advisors to Health Minister, Dr. Frank
Anthony, in the forefront of a campaign to keep Small against the Minister’s wishes.
“The refusal not to move Small we were told was a decision made by Dr Ramsammy and supported by
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and that is why we are having such challenges. We thought that (Minister
Juan Anthony) Edghill was part of it, but Edghill made it clear to us that he isn’t a part of it and he feels
that the guy erred and shouldn’t be there.  So Edghill has pulled himself out,’ Butters noted.
He noted that they were surprised by Edghill’s position considering that some weeks ago he had sought to
defend Rudy Small. “…when he had met with the nurses in Linden, he had started off defending the
situation (Small’s comments) but as pressure began mounting, he withdrew his comments.” Butters said.
Regardless of what comes out of the situation, he and the nurses are certain the relationship between them
and Rudy Small is permanently destroyed.
“The relationship between Rudy and the nurses are permanently destroyed and even if he stays
there, there is no respect, no form of relationship that the nurses will ever have for him so he has
lost more than the nurses,” Butters said.