For almost 16 years, Roland Xavier worked with the Malaria Control Programme (MCP) in Region Nine. Last year the 57-year-old microscopist was not paid. His plight was related to this newspaper during a recent visit to the area, by fellow workers in the health sector. Xavier works at the Health Centre in Karaudar in the South Rupununi.
Stabroek News was told that Xavier began working with the MCP in 1994 as a labourer. In 2003, he was trained as a microscopist and began working in that position but was never officially appointed. In 2005, the MCP was integrated into the regional system and workers were paid through the Region Nine Administration instead of Central government. Xavier’s woes began then and he was only paid every three months.
However, last year he was not paid for the entire year without any explanation offered. This newspaper was told that the man wrote to the Regional Health Officer, the Regional Executive Officer, the Regional Chairman and others and journeyed to Lethem to see them. “He went through the channels,” one staff member said. This newspaper was told that he even went to see Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai while she was on a visit to the area. But he was told that it was a process and he would have to hold on. Since he was never appointed as a microscopist, he was told that he had to work until 60 as a labourer to get gratuity and benefits, according to the workers.
They said that Xavier is the only labourer in the MCP in Region Nine, with all the rest being appointed field assistants. He reportedly could not get appointed because of his age. “It’s very unfair for the man to work so long (without being paid),” said one worker, “He is willing to work but he can’t work without money now. He is a dedicated worker.”
They related that Xavier has children attending the Secondary School and last year had to pay CXC fees and they felt sympathetic at his plight and assisted him in whatever they could. They all said that Xavier was a dedicated worker, pointing to one incident when he went to the village of Shea for some time when there was a malaria outbreak there.
During that time, he was not provided with any subsistence, they said.
It is a problem that workers attached to the MCP continually face, this newspaper was told. For field trips for the malaria programmes, they have not been paid their subsistence allowance since June, they said.
Additionally, when MCP workers were integrated into the regional system, they were told that they would not lose their benefits but allowances for boots and a provision of a raincoat and long boots every three years among other provisions were dropped, they related. Additionally, they now have to go to Lethem to collect their salary which is not sent to the communities as before.
Even so, they expressed concern at Xavier’s plight noting that he has said that if he does not get paid, he would leave the job.
