More than 30 members of the staff from various departments, armed with signs, gathered in front of the centre for about two hours in a bold move to protest what they claim are intolerable conditions that the hospital’s administrator, Catherine Weech, has ‘stood by and let happen.’
The protestors feel that Ms Weech should be fired because of her acceptance of the unfair treatment of the “small man”.
“The little man is hurting up here in Sandilands and the staff is getting disgruntled, frustrated and unmotivated by the way they are treated,” claimed a representative from the occupational therapy department who did not want to be named. “We have staff members who have been here for 28 years and have not even had one promotion because only the same staff members are being promoted
over and over again.” The demonstrators have alleged that there was a hierarchy of authorities at the hospital and if a person was not one of the “who’s who” around the facility, one would never be able to see a higher power to voice their concerns. They also claimed that Ms Weech has not had a general
meeting with all department members in her nearly six years as administrator. The disgruntled staff
members said certain department supervisors had taken advantage of this and treated them ‘even worse. ‘ “Enough is enough, we want her gone,” shouted the group. The Guardian attempted to speak with the administrator regarding the claims; however, Ms Weech declined the meeting because “she was not speaking to anyone today”. But later on in the evening The Guardian learned that top management of the Public Hospitals Authority and Sandilands met with the demonstartors and other staff in an
attempt to listen to some of their concerns. A representative from the laundry department said
she had been trying fruitlessly to change the “inhumane conditions” in her department. “Inside the laundry department the heat is enormous and unbearable to work in,’ said the demonstrator. “We have been trying over and over for Ms. Weech or one of her staff members to have a meeting with our department; however, I was told by one of the senior administrator ladies who work there that I will never have that meeting.” Many allegations were made against the administrator during the protest, among them, that the hospital phones were bugged and the intimidation of anyone who spoke with senior hospital authority official, Herbert Brown, about their concerns.
By: INDERIA SAUNDERS, The Nassau Guardian
