Health worker gets wrongly-withheld salary next week

A BARIMA/WAINI Community Health Worker (CHW) whose salary was wrongly withheld
will be paid next week next, Regional Executive Officer (REEO) Mr. Teka Bissessar has
confirmed.
Daniel Roberts, 21, and the only CHW from the St Anslem’s Community in that interior
location, tested positive for the contagious and deadly COVID-19 and was placed in an isolation
facility in the Region according to Ministry of Health national regulations.
Roberts said he and 16 other family members contracted the deadly virus.
The distraught health worker said embattled Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr. Steven
Cheefoon, ignored him in his ailing state but accused him of not performing his CHW duties. As
a consequence, the REO was advised to withhold his month’s salary.
“This is very hurtful as I am giving my best to Region One doing all that I can to assist my
fellow residents and villagers. I was unable to perform my duties for a while because I had
COVID. I was very hurt when he told me that he will seek to have me dismissed. Is this the way
you treat hardworking health care workers?” a dejected Roberts queried.
The traumatised young healthcare professional who is a second generation MoH employee of
Amerindian descent believes he is targeted in a ploy to force him out of his dream job.
“My father was a Community Health Worker for a number of years before he retired. I find it
heartbreaking that I am the only CHW in my community and instead of the RHO giving me the
required support he continues to victimise me,” the soft-spoken Roberts had told
www.aroundtheregions.com in a previous interview.
Roberts said he is not singular in targeted victimisation in the Region One health sector. He said
upon recovery his supervisor, Medex Lorraine Jilks instructed he work at the Mabaruma

Hospital.  He complied, but despite this November’s salary was withheld after Ms. Rosetta
Smith-Kalamadeen, Senior Personnel Officer (ag) in a missive demanded that he respond
“within 24 hours” about alleged unauthorised absence from duty following residents’ complaints.
REO Bissessar explained that “my job is not to show favoritism and or preference but to execute
my duties as the accounting officer in the most professional way. I stopped his salary (and
afterwards) we were furnished with the required documents and explanation from Daniel Roberts
regarding his absence from work,” Bissessar said.
“After receiving the medical information along with his explanation and the other supporting
documents from other officers, I am happy to confirm that Roberts will be paid before the end of
next week his withheld November salary. It is just one-month salary that we had withheld from
him. Roberts must understand that the Public Service has rules and regulations, in going forward
I am sure that he will know what to do should he be confronted with such a situation again,” he
further explained.
“I am glad that the REO addressed the matter and has agreed for me to be paid my
outstanding one-month salary but something needs to be done in the way the RHO treats
his staff. This isn’t the way to operate,” Roberts maintains.