RHO’s behaviour disgraceful

REGIONAL Health Officer (RHO) Dr Gregory Harris is under fire for flagrant breaches of the
country’s COVID-19 rules even as the pandemic rages in the bauxite-mining town of Linden.
Ordinary citizens and healthcare professionals are outraged that Dr Harris continues to sponsor
house parties way past curfew hours the government has imposed to help curb the spread of the
contagious and deadly corona virus.
Harris is shielding himself from critical media queries and has been ignoring some reporters’
messages about his numerous transgressions of the COVID-19 rules. However, the Upper
Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten) RHO has been making comments on other issues to more-
friendly sections of the local media corps.
Residents and healthcare professional are angry that the RHO is setting a bad example by his
continued transgressions of the government’s restrictive menu of measures implemented to keep
the nation safe against the ongoing global pandemic.
Outrage boiled over publicly when a member of the usually conservative local healthcare sector
recently made unflattering public statements against the RHO, albeit under security of
anonymity.
“You can’t be the RHO and holding several house parties late into the night. This is very
unacceptable and if this is the way you intend to get the public to adhere to COVID related
guidelines then you are wasting your time. As the RHO you must maintain a very high
professional standard and this must be evident from your own actions as you can’t expect the
ordinary man to adhere to guidelines and as the RHO you are flouting the regulations,” the
source reasoned.
Nurses working in the mining community were equally shocked, offended and vocal by the
RHO’s bad example.
“The RHO shortly after taking over the Region had invited some nurses to his party because we
share a good relationship with him long before he became RHO. However, we declined the

invitation as we found it strange that as nurses we are being invited to a party when COVID
continues to increase so rapidly in this country,” the nurses reasoned.
They want RHO Dr Harris to take full responsibility for his continued embarrassing public
blunders.
“We are very disappointed as we never expected this from the RHO and frankly this shouldn’t
be. Somebody has to remind him sternly that as the RHO he should be setting a better example
for others,” they said.
But Harris is not singular in his disdain for the local COVID-19 restrictive, but protective
measures. Unconfirmed reports have also fingered several top Regional Ten officials, including
the acting Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO); several other key public regional
figures, and several members of the RDC accounts department. None of them has agreed for an
interview with www.aroundtheregions.com.
Recently-appointed Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Narine Singh is probing allegations of the
after-curfew hours house parties held by the RHO while Region Ten Police Commander Mr.
Hugh Winter wants to interview anyone with knowledge of the RHO’s after-hours social events.
The Guyana Police Force in Linden will uphold the regulations and laws governing COVID 19
irrespective of which individuals break the rules, Commander Winter maintained.