THE Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Hydar Ally, in an invited comment, said a meeting is scheduled for tomorrow with the management of the Linden Hospital Complex and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU). The meeting is expected to address the dissatisfaction of the staffers at the Linden Hospital Complex over the payment of their gratuity.
Ally added that the Ministry of Finance has also been engaged in an effort to reach a resolution.
On Saturday, more than 200 workers of the Linden Hospital Complex persisted with a sit-in, to protest their conditions of employment.
The workers’ protest began earlier last week when the course of action was a go-slow. The sit-in started on Thursday and reports were that only the critically ill were attended to as staffers insisted that their employment status be regularised.
Health Minster Dr. Leslie Ramsammy told the Guyana Chronicle that originally gratuity was paid in February and August at 22.5 per cent of their salary, after six months of services.
“The Ministry of Finance’s position is that six months is over in March and September…the Ministry of Finance is of the view that we are paying one month early,” he said.
The protest actions were reportedly sanctioned by the GPSU, but Ramsammy stated that the union was well aware of the payment schedule for 2011.
“The GPSU was aware that the Ministry of Finance agreed to pay in August (in 2010) on condition that payments would be made in March and September this year,” he said.
This disagreement over the payment date for the gratuity was also raised in the National Assembly by PNCR Member of Parliament Ms. Vanessa Kissoon, during the budget debates.
The matter had been engaging the ministry’s attention prior to that.
The Linden Hospital Complex is a key health care delivery institution in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice).