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“The Ministry of Health is looking at the issue and [speaking with] the local authorities. Remember those nurses are employed by the region…we are also concerned about their well-being, and we are quietly looking at the situation to bring resolution to it quickly just as we did, incidentally recently in Linden,” Dr. Ramsaran is quoted as saying by the Government Information Agency (GINA).
Nurses and auxiliary staff attached to the WDRH began a sit-in earlier this week to push regional authorities to address what they claim is the lack of security at the facility, as well as demands for allowances and confirmation of appointments.
The workers, through the Guyana Public Service Union have given regional authorities until May 2 (today) to address their concerns or face intensified industrial action.
Recently in Linden, there were some complaints, when an administrative hiccup resulted in the non-payment of gratuities to some nursing staff. Though this was an administrative problem at the local level, the Ministry of Health quickly intervened and the nurses were given their outstanding gratuity payments to the tune of $6M.
When this newspaper contacted the West Demerara Regional Hospital yesterday, a nurse on duty related that she, as well as some other nurses, are at work because they have some critical patients that need attention.
She, however, remained adamant that their demands must be met. “We care a lot for these patients that are here in the hospital; we have developed relationships with them. The patients look forward to seeing us some days,” the nurse told the Chronicle, via a telephone interview.
“All we want is to reach home safely when our shifts are finished so that we can return the following day to do our jobs,” she lamented.
SAFETY ISSUES FALLING ON DEAF EARS
Meanwhile, issues relating to safety have been raised time and again with little or no success as the area around the entrance to the hospital as well as the access road to the Vreed-en-Hoop main road, from the hospital, is extremely dark in the evenings and nights, due to the lack of street lights.
A number of persons have been robbed in and around that area, especially on the lonely stretch of road (Best Road) just west of the hospital. While residents are thankful to the Government for finally fixing the once extremely deplorable road in Best Village, they are appealing for help, especially from the regional authorities, to rid the area of the bushes and overgrowth, as well as putting in place street lights at strategic points along the dark, lonely and dangerous Best Road.
Following numerous complaints to the regional authorities and others in the past, even via the media, a few community-minded residents have taken it upon themselves to clear the dense bushes on the train line which runs parallel to not only the main road, but also to the only access road to the village. Others have been pushed to fork-out hard-earned cash to purchase street lights to assist in lighting up the area to help aid in the security of the community as well as those passing through. (Gabreila Patram)
