President of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Patrick Yarde yesterday reaffirmed the union’s support for the nurses attached to the Linden Hospital Complex who have been calling for the removal of Chief Executive Officer, Rudy Small.
During a press conference held at the GPSU Headquarters, Yarde said that its members at Linden are very firm that they cannot continue to work with someone who disrespected them and that this is also the view of the union.
He commented that it seems as though the decision to rescind the dismissal of Small was a political one and one that was made by someone superior to Ministry of Health (MoH) Permanent Secretary Malcom Watkins, who had dismissed Small after he publicly said that nurses clocked in at the LHC and then left for extramarital rendezvous.
Yarde added that whoever instructed Watkins to rescind the dismissal has no respect for women. He then called on all “law-abiding Guyanese citizens” to support the nurses in their quest to have Small removed from his position at the LHC. He noted that a letter was written to the Minister regarding the issue but he has not responded.
Small was removed from the post of CEO during the early part of March. One day after, the Ministry of Health rescinded its decision and reinstated him with the caution that he should conduct himself properly and take actions to “mend the tensions in relationships that presently exists”.
It was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Watkins who in a March 1, 2021 letter to Small, advised that “a decision has been made for you to be removed from the post… with immediate effect.” He further instructed Small to hand over all property belonging to the LHC to the Regional Health Officer Dr. Gregory Harris.
But Watkins in another letter on March 2nd 2021 rescinded this move.
