The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) says that it is consulting with its attorneys to explore legal options to engage a court of law for redress as it relates to slanderous remarks made by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Linden Hospital Complex, Rudy Small.
Small, last month, publicly characterized nurses at the organisation as loose and immoral persons who would abandon patients in the evening to go and engage in illicit sexual activities. He has since confessed to making such statements and had issued an apology.
The union said that its members continue to be understandably, very emotionally upset, enraged, and justifiably furious to be characterized by their functional superior in this irresponsible, derogatory and unprofessional manner.
“They felt betrayed and humiliated. Hence, their desire to be separated and disassociated with such a loose and unethical senior officer, who, instead of contributing to their moral upliftment and motivation, was deliberately dragging their decency into the gutters. Their plea to their Union to come to their salvation attracted an immediate response, giving the fullest support for their protest actions,” the union noted.
The GPSU said that it has since written to the Minister of Health and other senior health officials, bringing to their attention what had occurred and stating the Union’s position on the matter. To date there has been no response to the Union’s correspondence, not even an acknowledgment, the entity said.
It noted that while it learned through the media that the CEO was going to be removed, the salt in the wound came after it was reported that the functionary’s dismissal was subsequently rescinded.
“The reversal of the decision by the Permanent Secretary was most disturbing, demoralizing, and contributed to a loss of confidence in those in authority handling the matter,” the union said, while noting that Small had, himself, confessed to making those statements.
The non-removal of Small has contributed to an untenable situation which is very disturbing to the GPSU and the workers of the Linden Hospital. Since, according to the body, it is now obvious that the CEO’s conduct is “condoned and supported by his superiors, including those at the political level and, it appears as though they are prepared to be ruthless in subjecting our members to the humiliation and a hostile work environment”.
