And it was in the shadow of that ominous threat from the most vital of health care workers that PM Briceno took a tour of the K.H.M.H. The independent media was not invited and it was a made for the press office event - meaning, no tough questions for the PM and his elusive Minister of Health and Wellness.
But the PM did speak glowingly of the hospital staff - while highlighting what he called their selfless understanding of his government's pay cuts.
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We're fully committed, we just again had a short meeting with the C.E.O. and also with Ms. Blake, Ms. Lydia who is the president of the Karl Heusner workers union and I'm very pleased with what I heard from her because she was saying that there were fully committed and determined employees of the hospital recognizing that services must go on, irrespective of differences. And, that they want to continue to serve the people here as best as they possibly can. I want to make a public acknowledgment and committed to Karl Heusner. It is pretty much a tertiary level hospital the only one in the country and both in the private and public hospitals where they go to the point where they can't do anymore they send them here to Karl Heusner. So, we are fully committed."
The PM's statement seems somewhat tone-deaf in light of this leaked memorandum purported to be from the hospital explaining to staff that they have yet to be paid for the April 1st to April 15th pay period because of the quote: "the closing of the Smart Stream system that is done at the end of each fiscal year which has caused a delay in the release in KHMH's monthly Subvention."
The memo goes on to assure staff that that Ministry Officials have been advised of this issue, and all efforts are being made to address the situation, and as soon as the subvention is deposited into KHMH's account, salaries will be released.
