Commentary – The Current Impasse – Linden Hospital Nurses and the Ministry of Health By Trevor Vangenderen

I am totally shocked and appalled at the response or no real response by the Ministry of Health
and by extension the government of Guyana with respect to the nurse’s cry of abuse by the Chief
executive Officer of the Complex.
I am now retired from the complex after working as Administrator/Manager Administrative
services until August 2019. There were major issues during my tenure there as well, I remember
the Honourable Minister of Health Gail Teixeira coming to linden more than once to put workers
at ease and ensured calm prevailed. It was on one of those visits she complimented the staff for
the clean state in which she found the old hospital building, which we occupied at the time and
pledge she will support the construction of a new hospital building in Linden.
During the tenure of the Honourable Minister Bheri Ramsaran there was a grave situation at the
institution, the hospital was on strike the Minister visited the institution with the chief labour
officer, met with all concerned parties and was able to thwart a major strike. I am of the view
that these two Health Ministers along with all the others during my time at the institution Hons.
Dr. H. Jeffrey, Dr. L. Ramsammy, Dr. G Norton and Minister Volda Lawrence took an approach
that health was the responsibility of the Government and that the service must be available at all
times to the those who need it most, the sick and afflicted.
Today we have a strike going for now two weeks which is totally uncalled for, many are of the
view that there is a single reason for this action, but not really Mr. Rudolph Small was appointed
Chief Executive Officer of the Linden Hospital under four months, his leadership style is one of
power and threats. Employees are threatened that their contracts would not be renewed, he would
not sign for them to receive their gratuity. Mr. Small called the police and had them supervise the
changing of the locks on the doors of the St. John ambulance Brigade office with their staff
sitting in the building. A building they occupied for over three decades. Mr. Small is always
working with policy decisions and instruction from Georgetown.
The recording which was released after he insinuated that he did not make the disparaging
remarks about the nurses was indeed the final straw.
In all these atrocities Mr. Small is being supported by the permanent secretary of the ministry of
health Mr. Malcolm Watkins who must be held accountable for what is taking place at the
institution. With an almost total shutdown at the institution what happens when a patient
becomes fatal because of the lack of service by the said nurses. The Minister of Health Dr. Frank
Anthony cannot remain in hibernating mode and do nothing. He is the representative of the
government, the government who collects citizens taxes and must provide this basic service to
the citizens. The nurses cannot be held accountable, it is the minister of health and by extension
the government of Guyana that must be held accountable for the lack of service at the institution
currently.

The Linden Hospital Complex was opened since May 23, 1925, almost one hundred years. Mr.
Small is at the institution for less than four months, what has Mr. Small done during that period
to make him so indispensable? The answer to that is nothing, he is not indispensable. Mr. Small
must be immediately transferred from the hospital, and so bring a swift end to this impasse and
also PS Mr. Malcolm Watkins and the Honourable Minister Of Health Dr. Frank Anthony must
rescind the policy decision Mr. Rudolph Small claimed they made and one they did not object to
and return the St. John office building which they wrongfully involved the Guyana Police Force,
when they changed the locks on the doors with staff occupying the building, a building St. John
occupied for over three decades.
“Justice delayed is Justice denied” The Ministry of Health, The Government of Guyana must act
now.
(The views expressed in this commentary article are those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of www.aroundtheregions.com)