Small’s BIG payback to LHC workers

POLEMICAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) OF LINDEN HOSPITAL
COMPLEX (LHC) RUDY SMALL IS APPARENTLY ON A CAMPAIGN OF
VENDETTA against nurses who went on weeks-long industrial action recently to have him
removed from the semi-autonomous institution.
In a recent interview with this media house, Mr. Maurice Butters, Industrial Officer of the
Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Linden Branch said Small is quietly taking vengeance on
LHC employees by withdrawing transportation for some categories of workers; disbanded the
vital Management Committee, and delayed circulation of a missive to workers leaving
employees worried about his motives.
According to GPSU’s Butters, Small who created a firestorm when he accused nurses on night
duties of abandoning their responsibilities in preference for sexual trysts, which in some cases
had to be extra-marital affairs.

Nurses were outraged at Small’s scandalous statements and took industrial action demanding his
removal. The Health Ministry buckled, but in less than 24-hours recovered and reinstated the
divisive CEO who was twice removed from government healthcare institutions in two
Administrative Regions for similar shockingly shameful statements targeting female employees.
Small returned triumphant to LHC following his reinstatement and waved jubilantly to incensed
workers, and according to Butters, has been on a furtive ‘payback campaign’ by unilaterally
ending transportation for ‘on call’ and other vital categories of LHC workers.
“The CEO has taken a decision to this arrangement of providing the transportation. We had an
agreement where certain sections of staff like those on call, those in the lab, theater and the
sisters would have been brought in before to ensure they control the staff in the wards. But most
of all the union has an agreement with the previous management that whenever the hospital
vehicle cannot provide the service, they (would) rent vehicles to ensure that this service

continues. But this chap (Small) saying now that he is changing up everything,” Butters
complained.
Small also removed the Ministry of Health emblem from a vehicle in the hospital fleet and
converted it for his personal use, as a further deliberate thumb in workers eyes
“The vehicle is now heavily tinted and the emblem is no longer there. He has also instructed that
the vehicle will no longer be used by the hospital but by him. Something is really wrong. Is the
Ministry of Health aware that the pickup which was bought for the hospital is now being used by
the CEO as though it's his (personal) vehicle?” Butters queried.
While Small is making life difficult for some LHC employees to get to work from home, he is
holding out still that the healthcare institution is short of an adequate fleet of vehicles.
“He continues to claim that the hospital doesn’t have enough vehicles but yet he has this vehicle
locked down as though it is his personal vehicle. (This), is very worrying and deserves answers,”
Butters declared.
He said too that Small also allegedly disbanded the Management Committee because he no
longer needs their input.
Small rationalised the controversial decision claiming while some staffers manipulated the body
to get their ‘own way’ while others use it as a shield against ‘facing disciplined’ whenever they
committed infractions. Small made this decision before his bombshell allegations.
“I have told the PS (Permanent Secretary, Mr. Malcolm Watkins) and the Minister (of Health Dr
Frank Anthony) that I don’t need a Management Committee, I can run the hospital by myself. If
along the way we see that indeed there is a definite need for a Management Committee, then we
will implement one. But for now, there isn’t a need,” Small had said in an earlier interview with
www.aroundtheregions.com
Since the industrial action by nurses, among Small’s schemes, he produced a circular earlier this
month, but done two months before based on the date, “Please be informed that the hospital will
only be providing emergency transportation service for staff with immediate effect. Management

therefore encourage all employees using hospital transportation to traverse to and from work to
make their own arrangement in getting to and from work, so that the services provided to
patients will not be affected,” the circular stated. Butters believes that the circular has now
strategically surfaced because the CEO is seeking to deliberately create the impression that staff
were duly notified when in actuality it was only disseminated to them a few days ago. While the
circular indicated that it was issued by the Chief Executive Officer it was unsigned. “The
circular’s date is in April but it was only circulated in June so I don’t know what is happening
and there must be an explanation for why it was only sent out yesterday (Thursday) with the date
in April being used,” Butters said.
Small was unavailable for comments because he has since blocked this media house after it
broke the story on alleged libidinous nocturnal activities by LHC nurses.