MOH axed Rudy Small In 2017

RUDY SMALL HAS BEEN A PERPETUAL PROBLEM CHILD for consecutive Guyanese
governments ever since he relocated here under the guise of possessing technical expertise and
special qualifications sorely needed in the country’s health sector.
Small, first found employment at Leonora Hospital, then at Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
Administrators at both health institutions were forced to rid themselves of the portly gentleman
discovered with a penchant for offending employees – especially female nurses.
Currently, Small is enmeshed in controversies at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) as the
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who accused nurses on night duty of leaving their posts illegally
for romantic trysts off site.
Unlike Leonora and Diamond, outraged nurses are currently leading intensifying industrial
action to force the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) coalition government to move Small
as CEO. But he is still hanging on. But only barely.
What has now surfaced is that the Ministry of Public Health under the David Granger A
Partnership for National Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) fired Small in 2017 because,
like the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the government also had lingering doubts
about his technical expertise and suitability for the post and the legitimacy of his qualifications.
But Small had the then Permanent Secretary (PS), Mr. Trevor Thomas, firmly in his corner.
Thomas breached relevant protocols and tussled with the IDB to get Small remain as Director of
Projects despite the funding agency’s repeated objections and Thomas’ constant pleadings to the
contrary. He was fired less than three months after securing a contract from then PS Trevor
Thomas

“What really happened is that Trevor Thomas went ahead and employed Small despite him being
aware that the IDB had rejected Small over his inability to execute acceptable standard and
quality of work and to justify Small getting Duty Free concessions,” a knowledgeable source told
www.aroundtheregions.com
“Thomas had sought to exploit the system by handing Small a three-year contract, thus
qualifying him for duty free. This was unethical, improper and grossly unprofessional on the part
of Thomas. While IDB saw it as unethical, dishonest and an abuse of its funding as a means of
exploiting the agency,” the usually-reliable source said.
The David Granger APNU+AFC government fired Thomas in 2017.
Small claimed numerous qualifications obtained while he lived in the USA, but there were
documented concerns and doubts raised over the legitimacy of those qualifications. Despite
systems implemented to police all employment and processing of applications, Thomas skirted
these to help Small whom he admitted knowing personally and wanted to help.
“At the time when the MOPH terminated Small’s employment, he was offered a very lucrative
and unbelievable contract which demonstrated the level of friendship that he had with the then
PS,” a source told this media house.
His basic salary was US$5,000 (G$1M) effective from February 01, 2017, to January 31, 2020
when he was eventually fired.
“I wish to inform you that a review was undertaken by Administration, and it was confirmed that
no approval exists for your employment as Director of Projects. The Ministry’s review also
confirmed that since no approval exists, the payment of emoluments and the processing of any
other condition of service therein, have become recoverable. Administration subsequently sought
advice from the Ministry of the Presidency and the following were recommended;
(a) employment contract which you signed on 31st January, 2017,
(b) supplemental Agreement executed as an Addendum to the (PEC) Consultancy Services for
Maternal and Child Health Improvement Project.
It continued, “As you may recall, my letter dated 10th March, 2017 for you to repay payments
that were made for rental of building, this request was not honoured to date. Based on the
recommendation from Department of the Public Service which indicated that there is no

authorised position as Director of Projects and no approval was granted for the employment of
the said position, the Ministry therefore, wishes to advise you that the contract on your position
is null and void.”
But Small fired back with a lawsuit. In it he sued the Guyana government in 2019 for more than
G$40M through his then Attorney-at-law, Mr. Anil Nandlall, now Attorney General and Minister
of Legal Affairs.
Small also sued the government for accumulated salary of USD$180,000 retroactive from
February 1, 2017 to January 31, 2020; gratuity of USD$13,500 and vacation allowance of
USD$15,000.
However the almost G$3M that Small had received from the Ministry of Public Health he has
never repaid. Several sources confirmed earlier today that while the item continues to be part of
the Auditor’s General (AG) annual report, Small has never repaid those monies owed to the
Ministry of Health.
Small in his lawsuit is also asked the court to award him special damages in the sum of
USD$208,000 (G$41.6M) as aggravated damages, interest, costs etc.
Several attempts to get comments from Thomas on the record, proved futile.