– says Coalition was ‘booted’ before measures were implemented

THE inability of the former APNU+AFC Government to provide a proper ‘care package’ for health workers was due mainly to the ‘feet-dragging’ by the then Public Health Ministry headed by former minister, Volda Lawrence, said former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan.

His comment comes one day after Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, said Jordan had “flatly, refused and rejected” requests by the then Department of Public Service for increased allowances for healthcare workers, when the Ministry of Finance was sent proposals prior to the change of government in August.
For approximately two weeks now, public healthcare workers, nurses in particular, have been staging strikes at facilities across the country, including the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC); the West Demerara Regional Hospital in Region Three; the Fort Wellington Hospital in Region Five; and the Linden Hospital Complex in Region 10. The nurses are calling for better pay and risk allowances.

In response to Minister Parag’s comment about the allowances, Jordan, in a letter, said: “The payment of a COVID Risk Allowance (CRA) was my idea. Yes, you heard correctly: It was my idea.

“It arose out of an earnest conversation I had with a nurse of the GPHC. I was struck by the passion with which she represented the plight of nurses in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic… among the issues she raised with me were the absence of PPEs and cleaning agents, the absence of security in the triage area, exposure to COVID-positive patients, the lack of transportation from their homes to the hospital and vice versa during the curfew hours, the absence of counselling for nurses and their families, and payment of an allowance for the increased risks they faced.”

Jordan said the Ministry of Finance was ready to provide assistance in these areas, but Lawrence never acted on his offer.
The former minister said he contacted Lawrence via Whatsapp on April 5, 2020, outlining the issues raised and urged that these matters be addressed quickly.
“I offered the Ministry of Finance’s help to prevent a crisis from developing, including the payment of a risk allowance to frontline workers. Yes, I am able to include that quotation because I still have all of the Whatsapp communication,” said the former minister of finance.
Jordan went on to claim that the Coalition Government had made a “major pay-out” of over $900 million in increased allowances to the health sector, something which workers told Jordan they never received.
Following this “discovery”, Jordan said he immediately recommended that the Ministry of Public Health look into the issue and ensure that health workers benefit from the “2019 increases”.
He said the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Colette Adams and Director of the Office of the Budget (DOB) were charged with the responsibility of putting a package together.

CRITICAL INFORMATION NOT PROVIDED

“I maintained an abiding interest in ensuring that the exercise would be concluded speedily. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Critical information was not provided in a timely manner, as MPH staff seemed preoccupied with getting the COVID hospital completed, among other matters. Where information was provided, it was partial and, in some cases, useless to the exercise at hand,” Jordan lamented.

In the absence of these and other critical pieces of information, the package could not be prepared, so Lawrence was unable to present it to “Cabinet” for approval.
It was, however, a little too late for any action, as the Coalition Government was “booted” from office on August 2, 2020, the same day Jordan said Lawrence committed to coordinating assistance for health workers.

Minister Parag has since pointed out that it was with the change of administration that the new administration, without being approached, allocated $150 million to the frontline workers.
“Due to financial constraints this is what we are able to offer now, we are offering $150 million for frontline workers and when the budget has been passed and released, we can disburse the money to the frontline workers so that they can benefit from that,” Parag noted.

POLITICALLY-INSTIGATED
Parag said that she believes the healthcare workers are being politically instigated, given that no action was taken in the past, notwithstanding the union for the healthcare workers, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), having had their requests denied.

“There was no protest action, that is what surprises me so today, because at that time when that was flatly refused, no action was taken whatsoever, no threats were made either. I find it strange that protest action is being brought now by the nurses,” Parag pointed out.

Parag reminded that it has been only just two months since the new administration has taken over Government, and in that time measures have been taken to make circumstances better for the healthcare workers across the country, even as the Government tries to find a way to provide for all Guyanese.
In adding his voice to the issue, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali had said: “We are looking at assistance in the housing programme, not only increases in salary… better working conditions, better add-on benefits… nurses with children would benefit from the cash incentive, the cash grants, they will benefit from the uniform allowance, and the removal of VAT on electricity and water.”

Government, in the recently-presented 2020 Budget has allocated some $150 million for frontline health workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President said he understands that every category of worker wants more, and wants better. And, he assured that the government has better to deliver, and that the authorities are committed to ensuring that all categories of workers have a better standard of living, better opportunities, and greater prospects in the future.