March 28, 2024

INFO 10

THE TRUTH IN BLACK AND WHITE

It is time for Rudy to go- Regional Chairman

-Says rescinding termination of LHC staff not enough

One of the correspondences that we sent to staff members

Regional Chairman Deron Adams is adamant that the instruction from political powers to rescind the decision made by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Linden Hospital Complex, Rudy Small, to terminate at least 27 employees, is not enough and the CEO must be removed from his post this time around. A protest action is slated for Friday morning to again sound a strong message to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Malcolm Watkins and Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony, that this time around, the residents of Linden will not allow Small to work against people development.

“I was made to understand that the termination has been rescinded but that is not enough, we will be protesting, we are sending a strong message, that this time around this must not happen, Small does not have the interest of the residents of Region 10 at heart, staff continue to complain,” he said. Adams will be leading the protest in front of the Hospital Complex.

CEO Rudy Small

In the letter sent to low level staff of LHC, Small informed them that their contracts will not be renewed.

“I write to inform you that after careful consideration, the management has decided that your service would no longer be required with effect from 1st June, 2022,” it said. The letter was sent to cleaners, porters, kitchen staff.

Joining the protest will also be Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira described Small’s actions as wicked and uncalled. “The firing of cleaners, porters, kitchen staff and others whose salaries are way below the poverty line in these trying times, is testimony to the uncaring nature of the PPP regime to our people most in need, we need jobs and much needed assistance for our people, just like the sugar workers,” he said.

Mere months after Small was appointed, scores of employees from the St John’s Ambulance Brigade lost employment after the organization’s long standing contract with the hospital was terminated. Several other long standing contractors also lost their contracts with LHC. Subsequently, nurses had staged weeks of protest for Small’s removal in response to degrading comments he had made about them to the media.