GPSU’s Butters Salutes Women and Gender Affairs Commission

Chairman of the Region Ten branch of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Maurice
Butters is hailing the firm stance of the Women and Gender Affairs Commission in the ongoing
controversy between nurses at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) and its Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) Mr. Rudy Small.
Nurses are calling for CEO Small’s removal after he was caught in a taped interview with
www.aroundtheregions.com vilifying the healthcare workers accusing them of sexual
indiscretions during night shifts.
Nurses are on daily industrial action demanding Small’s removal from the care institution.
Butters said the Commission must be saluted for taking the position as they are demonstrating
through its Chairman, former Government Minister, Mrs. Indira Chanderpaul, that not everybody
believes that Small should get off. He said that he is impressed with the position taken by the
former Government Minister considering she served as a minister in the previous PPP
administration.
Butters wants other local bodies to emulate the Women and Gender Affairs Commission’s stance
and not continue to muzzle themselves.
“We are happy that at least one organisation with the caliber of the Women and Gender
Commission came forward to lend support and we at GPSU are hoping that other organisations
will follow suit. What is evident is that while the Government is taking this hardline position
some of their ministers and senior officials have reached out to us and have taken our position
that Small should be removed,” Butters said.

He continued, “We have been told that it’s not a case where the government doesn’t want to
move Small but with the situation being in Linden, they are afraid that with the removal of Small
it will send a message that they (Government) have been defeated and therefore such an
impression will not do them well. Many of them want him removed but nobody is taking the bull
by its horn and removing him as doing so will make it seem as though they concede.”
Butters admitted that because of the length of time that the nurses have been fighting to have the
issue addressed, some have reached saturation point.
“Some of them have given the indication that they are likely to return to work but we (GPSU)
will have to put systems in place to ease that pressure there as they (nurses) are deliberately
being placed under pressure. If they are not working then they would need some kind of
assistance. I am trying to see what we have and how we can get some agencies and organisations
to cushion the effects,” Butters assured.
He noted that while initially the Women and Gender Affairs Commission was reluctant to
endorse the removal of Small, they eventually came on board after recognising that the conduct
and actions of Small should not be condoned. He said that they are still confident that other
institutions and or organisations will eventually lend support.
Quizzed on whether the promised statements made by Chairman of the PNC, Volda Lawrence
some weeks ago that the party stands in solidarity with the nurses and will lend whatever
assistance and help needed, Butters said that while they have received verbal support, they have
not received any other support from the opposition.
He isn’t aware of any financial assistance given by the leading opposition party either.
“Well, I know that the opposition did promise to support the nurses and have been
supporting them but financially, No! They haven’t given any support,” Butters said