GPSU rejects Commission to probe allegations against GPHC Matron

Oct 22, 2016 News

Although a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to investigate allegations made against the Director of Nursing Services (Matron) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) only commenced last week, already the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is preparing to reject the results.
The Union in a statement said that it declares “publicly its reservation and lack of confidence in the outcome of this inquiry.”
This reaction, according to the GPSU, is premised on the fact that the GPHC refused to acknowledge concerns that it highlighted ahead of the start of the COI.
In its statement, the Union explained that it was notified by the Board of the GPHC that a COI into a petition against Collene Hicks, the Director of Nursing Services, would be launched. According to the GPSU, the Board had in fact asked the Union to name a member to sit on the Commission. The Union’s choice was Mr. Reginald Brotherson, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Public Service within the Ministry of the Presidency.
The statement added, “The GPSU felt it necessary to have members of the commission who have had no relationship with the GPHC neither past, present nor in the near future, to be selected as members.”
However, the Union in its statement, explained that it subsequently learnt of the other members of the commission and by way of letter informed Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Carl ‘Max’ Hanoman, of its displeasure with the Commission selected.
This reaction, the Union said was due to the fact that some of the members have an association with the GPHC. “It was felt that the association could influence the conduct of the inquiry making it prejudicial against the subject of the inquiry,” the GPSU has asserted.
But even after yet another letter, dated October 18, 2016 to the Board Chairman on the same matter, the Union said that “the GPHC went ahead with the Commission as originally set out.”
“The Committee has gone ahead with the inquiry ignoring the GPSU’s challenges/concerns which are: (1) Departure from standard practice; (2) Obvious inclusion of elements whose credibility the Union challenges,” the GPSU has emphasised.
In addition to Brotherson, the Commissioners of the COI are former GPSU General Secretary turned Attorney-at-law, Chandrawattie Persaud, the Chairperson; Ms. Laurelle Daw, Director of Nursing Services at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital for the past seven years; Dr. Anwar Hussain who has racked-up decades of service at the GPHC and former Auditor General, Mr. Anand Goolsarran.

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