More than one hundred employees of the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) have reportedly signed a petition against a proposal to have its present Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Farouk Riyasat removed from the post and replaced by a “junior” medical practitioner.
The petition is also supported by Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Representative in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), Maurice Butters, who is presently appealing to the Public Health Ministry to look into the situation.
According to Butters, the proposed decision to have the CEO, who is presently on annual leave, replaced is based on a recommendation by LHC Board Chairman Mortimer Mingo and Vice Chairman Valerie Patterson.
Butters explained that he was reliably informed of the decision during a recent visit to the Ministry, where he was told that a letter was with the Permanent Secretary (PS), Trevor Thomas proposing the appointment of Dr Quincy Jones, who recently returned from training in Cuba.
According to the GPSU representative, he was also informed that the information which reached the PS stated that this was a recommendation of the LHC Board; however, he has refuted that claim, saying that there was no such discussion by the Board. Butters has so far maintained that the decision was a unilateral one by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board.
He explained, “Based on my knowledge, and I was there at the last meeting, this matter was never discussed at the Board. This is not the first time we find decisions being made, approaches made to the Ministry and the Board is not properly or officially informed.”
The GPSU representative opined that, before such a decision is made, the CEO should be given at least a month’s notice in addition to the position being advertised. He said too that the Board was informed during a previous visit by Health Minister, Dr George Norton that it has no legal standing; therefore, it could not make policy decisions.
Injustice
Butters added that LHC staff were not comfortable with the decision to appoint a junior staffer as CEO, noting that Dr Riyasat was one of the most senior and experienced practitioners at the hospital and to replace him now would be an injustice to the people of Linden.
“It was during Dr Riyasat’s tenure as CEO that we would have had the best period of stable, industrial relations within the hospital…Many times, there are emergencies and he is called out and he does not make a fuss in reporting to resolve whatever medical issues. He is there day and night…Where would we find someone with that kind of commitment to an institution?” Butters questioned.
Maurice Butters
Alluding to the role of the current CEO, Butters said that through Dr Riyasat, there have also been improved relations between management and the Union. As a matter of fact, the GPSU representative said had it not been for the CEO, there would be no monthly statutory meetings between the two bodies. In a letter addressed to the Public Health Minister, which is dated November 8, 2016, employees appealed to Dr Norton not to support the recommendation to have the CEO replaced. The letter which was seen by this publication asserted to the CEO’s commitment to the position.
“Dr Riyasat is the only senior and experienced medical officer at the institution…he is on call twenty- four hours per day seven days per week whether it is weekend, holidays or vacation…Reports are that the service of Dr Riyasat is no longer required and one of these junior inexperienced doctors is assigned to replace him as CEO. This matter was not discussed by the Board. As a reminder, the retirement age of employees of the Complex is 60 years and D. Riyasat has not attained that age. History would show that senior managers would have been retained beyond 60 though they offered no expertise as in the case of Dr Riyasat. The question is why is the Board getting rid of the most is prized needs of our community (?)…We call on you Sir to review the decision to terminate the contract of Dr Riyasat and have him reinstated at the end of his vacation. We also take this opportunity to call on you and your management team to visit and hear our concerns as early as possible “, the letter stated.
The letter also went on to state that Dr Riyasat as CEO has improved the relationship between staff and management which employees claim has led to improved services for the people of Linden and Region 10. It added that the hospital’s record of zero maternal deaths was owed to him.
The GPSU representative has also contended that it has been months since the branch of the Union within the Hospital has been writing to the Minister and the Ministry’s PS, asking them or their representatives to visit the medical institution to meet with staff regarding numerous burning issues affecting them, but, to date, there has been no positive response, only promises.
