Women and Gender Equality Commission calls for replacement of Linden Hospital CEO

The Women and Gender Equality Commission has voiced its solidarity with nurses at the Linden Hospital Complex in their ongoing dispute with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), calling for his replacement as it urged both the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Health to take appropriate action.

Nurses have been lobbying for the removal of CEO Rudolph Small after he was reported as saying that they regularly abandoned their duties to engage in extramarital affairs.

The Commission on Saturday acknowledged that while the CEO sought to offer an apology, his “irresponsible, insensitive and disrespectful” remarks placed the nurses at risk of victimisation and of gender-based violence.

“Our nurses do not deserve to be discouraged and dehumanized - especially at this time when they are facing the challenges of being on the frontline to keep our nation safe from the COVID-19 pandemic,” it noted in a statement.

“The Commission condemns the words and actions of the CEO and calls for his replacement, since it seems he lacks the professionalism, leadership and gender sensitivity required for the job at hand,” it added before calling on the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Health to take appropriate action.

The Guyana Public Service Union recently said the dispute, which saw nurses stage several protests, remains unresolved and accused the the Ministry of Health of embarking on a victimisation campaign targetting them.

The ministry had removed the CEO but did an about face a day later.