A Charity, Essequibo resident who claimed he was arrested “in an embarrassing manner” on November 14 at the Regional Democratic Council boardroom, Region Two, had a charge of threatening language dismissed against him.
Mark Nandkumar, a driver attached to the Suddie Hospital appeared at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court on November 15. He pleaded not guilty to using threatening language to one Hudson Rodrigues of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) office at Anna Regina.
He told Stabroek News that he never threatened Rodrigues but rather he gave another staff “hard talk” out of frustration and he apologized in the court for that.
He pointed out that if the police wanted to arrest him they could have found him easily in the hospital compound.
But, he feels that in an effort to embarrass him, a senior regional official “called me to a meeting in the boardroom for 1 pm. And in less than 10 minutes, two policemen from Anna Regina Police Station came in and made request for one Mark Nandkumar.”
He was arrested and charged and told that he had to appear in court the following day.
Explaining what happened, he said: “I did not receive a bill for January. Both of the bills came in February and GWI came and disconnect the water before the due date in February.”
He felt that he was treated unfairly, noting that GWI “is taking about two months to issue bills… Last month no bill came but I made it my duty to go into the office and paid $1500” for the monthly rental, which he said was $1350.
To his surprise, when he received the bill this month he observed that it had increased to $1950. That was when he decided to visit the office and became frustrated.
Meanwhile, he pointed out that he was already experiencing financial difficulties because the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dennis Jaikarran had transferred him from the Charity Hospital to work at the Suddie Hospital.
According to him, the REO has victimized him and two other workers and the situation is very stressful for him.
“He is putting pressure on us. He is using his power to switch people just like that… People from Anna Regina replaced us at Charity.”
Contacted, Jaikarran told SN that he “would prefer not to talk to him. The only thing I can say is that he is a public servant and he must follow the rules. I am not going to respond to any media comment as it relates to a junior Officer that is being very indiscipline… I am putting the matter before the Public Service Commission…”
In a letter signed by the Principal Personnel Officer, it was stated: “Please be informed that approval has been given to you to be re-assigned duties at the Public Hospital Suddie with effect from 2019-06-24.”
He made it clear that he had never made such a request.
He said it takes 45 minutes to an hour to travel to work. The hardest part for him is that he is barely earning $61,000 per month and has to pay $25,000 in traveling expenses. He has not received any increase or traveling allowance.
Nandkumar who hails from Charity, said he has been asking for the decision to be reversed but has so far been unsuccessful.
He also called on relevant authorities to look into the matter so that he and the workers can have some ease in doing their jobs.
