By Mark DaCosta- Oxygen plant operators at De Kinderen Regional Hospital have endured a distressing eight-month period without receiving their salaries, all while performing essential tasks crucial for maintaining hospital operations. The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, led by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, publicly condemned this situation in a statement released on May 19. This scenario raises serious concerns about the management and accountability of public services under the current government.
The issue spans a critical healthcare institution — the De Kinderen Regional Hospital, opened on August 11, 2025, as part of a broader initiative to enhance our nation’s healthcare infrastructure. Situated in Region Three, the hospital aims to provide comprehensive medical services to a population growing increasingly reliant on improved healthcare delivery. With a modern facility boasting a 24/7 Accident and Emergency department, advanced operating theatres, and vital diagnostic capabilities, it stands as a beacon of hope for residents in and around the De Kinderen area, including nearby communities like Tuschen and Parika.
Yet, the reported inaction on the part of the Regional Health Officer, Dr. Hassan, has led to a disheartening neglect of the workers who are indispensable to the hospital’s functionality. WIN has asserted that the documentation required for these operators to receive their rightful payments has been languishing unsigned on Dr. Hassan’s desk, highlighting a clear malfeasance in local governance. This delay in processing salaries has placed undue hardship on families who depend on these workers’ incomes for their daily survival — a situation that the opposition finds utterly unacceptable.
Azruddin Mohamed pointedly stated, “No worker should ever be forced to work for months without receiving a salary, especially when families and children are depending on them to survive.” His remarks encapsulate the broader frustration with the current leadership’s failure to prioritise the welfare of public service employees, particularly in the health sector, which is facing unprecedented challenges.
Moreover, the statement by WIN reflects deeper systemic issues within the Ministry of Health, led by Minister Frank Anthony. The opposition has drawn a direct correlation between the RHO’s failures and the minister’s apparent complacency, asserting that “when the RHO fails to carry out his responsibilities, the blame must also fall on Minister of Health Frank Anthony.”
The De Kinderen hospital was conceived as a response to the pressing healthcare demands of our nation, positioned to alleviate the burden on Georgetown’s medical facilities. It is equipped to provide a range of specialised medical services, such as internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and obstetrics, as well as essential emergency care. However, the unresolved administrative issues, typified by the current plight of the oxygen plant operators, threaten to undermine the very objectives for which the hospital was established.
WIN’s ultimatum to President Ali urges immediate action to rectify this situation by ensuring that the unpaid operators receive their salaries without further delay while demanding accountability from Dr. Hassan and the overall governance structure. The party’s stance is indicative of a growing sentiment that the working populace cannot continue to bear the brunt of governmental inaction and neglect.
The agony of unpaid workers reverberates through the community – particularly during Workers’ Month – challenging the essence of what it means to govern. In the days to come, it will be essential for our nation’s leadership to demonstrate that public service and community welfare are not just hollow promises, but commitments backed by action.
