In a statement issued yesterday, GAWU issued a warning to GuySuCo on the issue, informing the corporation of “yet another imminent collision course,” as rocky relations between the two entities continue.
Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran on Wednesday stated that the administration had been working since early last year to “absorb” the medical services of the sugar corporation and plans are already underway to have GuySuCo’s DeKinderen health centre on the West Coast of Demerara upgraded, since the authorities have already taken control of the facility.
GAWU President Komal Chand told Stabroek News last evening that the union remains open to dialogue with GuySuCo on the issue, and according to him sugar workers would not find favour with the move.
According to the GAWU statement, it consulted the other union which represents sugar workers, the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NACCIE), which indicated that it never also had any discussions with any government official on the issue. “GAWU categorically denies that it has had any discussions with any minister on this vexed issue, ‘quietly’ or in any manner whatsoever,” it said, while dubbing Ramsaran’s statement factually inaccurate, misleading and mischievous. “GAWU wonders whether pressure of work, the already challenging state of government health services or an outright intention to undermine the two unions’ credibility is responsible for this false figment of the junior Minister’s imagination,” it added.
GAWU restated its position as contained in a resolution unanimously passed at its 19th Delegates Congress, last August in Berbice, where the issue was discussed. In reaching the resolution, GAWU noted that the Ministry of Health, which provides health care to members of the public, “would be unable to have workers and their families treated readily who would have to wait at times for long hours to obtain treatment as is presently the case at public hospitals and health centres.” As a result, GAWU had demanded that GuySuCo continue to manage its facilities and asked delegates at the congress to mandate the Union to oppose any attempt by the Corporation to divest its medical facilities. Last November, Chand said if the issue was not resolved in favour of the sugar workers, industrial action was likely.
GuySuCo, in its turnaround plan for the industry, stated that its health services were expected to be taken over by the Health Ministry by the end of 2009, having noted that it spent approximately $360M annually on the provision of health services, which includes diagnostic centres at Ogle (Head Office) and Rose Hall as well as 15 dispensaries countrywide, excluding the De Kinderen dispensary. GuySuCo stated that it provides medical services to some 4,000 retired persons, workers, their immediate family members, pensioners and emergency cases in the communities.
Ramsaran stated on Wednesday that the medical staff at GuySuCo’s medical facilities would be boosted with the addition of trained health professionals, including Cuban trained locals.
GuySuCo stated in the plan that efforts are being made to negotiate the takeover of the services by the Health Ministry because, “the medical services are provided to a significant number of persons outside of the existing GuySuCo staff.” The Corporation stated in its turnaround plan that the move will avoid duplication of services, when taking into consideration the expansion of the national health system.
