…at “Big Hospital”
To older folks, especially those from the rural areas, the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) is simply the “Big Hospital” to which they’d go or be sent when they get really sick. The implication being the Big Hospital was the last hope to avert death. Officially this was confirmed by the authorities dubbing it the top “tertiary” referral hospital. So you’d think the Government would ensure the GPHC functioned at the highest and most efficient level the country could manage. The British did.
During the PNC years, standards deteriorated precipitously – along with every other service in the country – and the GPHC became a sordid illustration of Dante’s representation of Hell, with all the tortured souls writhing in the various levels. The “Big Hospital” became a hospice – where folks entered “the Big Sleep”. During the PPP years, the Hospital was painfully improved – and while it still had a long way to go before it could reach first world standards, it slowly began to lose its reputation – epitomised by rats gnawing at babies’ toes during Hamilton Green’s stint as Health Minister.
One of the important innovations was to make the GPHC into an autonomous corporation – which would be run by a Board of Directors, free from the political interference that had poisoned every government-run institution. While the GPHC falls under the Public Health Ministry, the Board has representatives of several stakeholders and the Minister is supposed to get involved in operational matters but to only issue “policy” directives.
All that changed with the change of government was that a new Board was also formed. A potential conflict of interest existed because the Chairman of the Board is appointed by the Government via the Office of the Presidency. But the Chair, Max Hanoman insisted on being a professional. The Minister, Dr George Norton, however, had other ideas – especially as it had to do with the CEO Michael Khan. Khan would’ve been his administrator when he was a doctor at the hospital before the elections.
While a “forensic audit” of the GPHC was conducted, the CEO was sent on leave. He was subsequently reengaged by Hanoman but immediately, Minister Norton intervened though his Permanent Secretary to kick Khan out. One morning, the staff was surprised by an individual, claiming to be a Deputy CEO – a non-existent position – showed up. The Chairman stood his ground on Khan, while giving Norton’s “Pretender Dep CEO” the boot.
Hanoman has now been sacked by the Minister (surprise!) but freed from his professional muzzle, has now spilled the dirt on Norton. The man insisted on micromanaging the GPHC and ousting Khan.
The micromanaging your Eyewitness understands but wonders what Khan did to the Minister as his former supervisor!!
…a sheep in wolf’s clothing
Nagamootoo announced if the Government continued with funding a recovery plan for the sugar industry, it would be “raiding the Treasury”. Sugar must be allowed to collapse with no subsidies. And this was the man who boasted he’d convinced his running mate David Granger during the elections to change his mind on closing down GuySuCo.
But then, he’d also announced via the Cummingsburg Accord he’d convinced the same running mate to have him chair Cabinet meetings as a new, powerful Prime Minister!! And we discern the pattern with this sheep in wolf’s clothing. He pretends he’s big and bad to “stand down” Granger, but all he’s interested in is to be comfortably warm in his “big position” and bleating like the sheep he is.
Isn’t subsidising Linden to the tune of billion annually raiding the Treasury? Isn’t funding the Cabinet’s billion salary increase, as proven by Edghill, raiding the Treasury?
But no…he figures he can play the wolf with sugar workers.
…on getting busy”
Raphael Trotman told the Guyanese people rather than moaning about the Budget, they should “get busy”. This meant, his dictionary informed him, was “to have sex”.
Like in, “The couple was getting busy in the front room when the doorbell rang”!!
