A former health-care worker with over 36 years’ service, broke down as she used the platform of the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) board meeting held at City Hall, San Fernando, on Thursday, to plead for her gratuity.
Louisa Delores Placid, one of 200 retirees who are yet to receive their benefits, years after they have retired, said she is alone and ailing and desperately needs her outstanding money to live.
Placid told the board, headed by CEO Dr Brian Armour, that she worked up until age 69, but four years later, after losing her husband and suffering a stroke, she is yet to receive a cent.
She spoke of her many attempts to get a settlement to no avail, saying over the years all she has been hearing is, “Placid, we checking, Placid, we checking and nothing more.
“I am in dire need of my money. I cannot have it. I tried to make an appointment with the CEO.”
She said his secretary took her information, promised to pass it on to him and get back to her, but she never did.
“I wrote letters to them, but never got replied to it. I am very concerned about what is going on. I know the SWRHA provides a good service, but at the same time, you are not seeing about past retirees who have worked for so many years and provided long and dedicated service.”
Placid said she was not alone as other colleagues who had longer service were suffering the same fate.
In response, Armour apologised for the lack of communication between staff and management. He said he was mindful of the situation, noting that while some processes were handled by the SWRHA there were processes involving the authentication by external agencies that required time.
“Pensions is a bit beyond our control.” Armour along with general manager, HR, Denise Thomas, admitted there was a backlog but said the volume had been reduced from thousands to 200.
Thomas said a dedicated team had been hired to deal with this issue and promised to meet with Placid and review her situation.
[caption id="attachment_1028030" align="alignnone" width="1024"] SWRHA CEO Dr Brian Armour addresses a public meeting at San Fernando City Hall on Thursday. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
While praised for some of the good work being done, the meeting also heard complaints from users of the Point Fortin Hospital about the cancellation of surgeries owing to a malfunctioning air condition unit there, the absence of attendants to assist immobile patients who attend the Couva facility and security guards acting as intermediaries between patients and pharmacists.
There was also an impassioned plea from a young mother for more developmental paediatric care for neurodivergent children. With the absence of such care, the mother said they had to depend on the private sector, which many could not afford, or even Google to treat their children.
Bemoaning that the wait-time to see the one doctor treating neurodivergent children was a nightmare for patients, as well as parents, the frustrated mother called for more paediatric developmental clinics.
She pointed out
