Philipsburg: --- The Windward Island Civil Servants Union (WICSU/PSU) is calling on the island government to take responsibility and intervene in the FZOG and St. Maarten Medical Center saga.
At a press conference on Saturday representatives of the ABVO Ethelwoldus Josepha, William Reed from the WICSU and Raymond Jesserun also from the ABVO pensioners union told reporters that they sent a letter to the island government some three weeks ago requesting a meeting.
The unions said they outlined the problems pensioners are faced with at the St. Maarten Medical Center and they felt that it is necessary for the local government to do something.
Josepha considered it shameful that government sat by and said nothing about the entire ordeal even though those suffering today are former civil servants. The unionist said what is more shameful is that government also did not have the common courtesy to respond to their letter of July 10.
Right now, the unions have drafted a letter, which will be sent to the Kingdom outlining the breach of basic human rights towards the pensioners. Jesserun said the Kingdom already intervened in situations where human rights are being breached and they took responsibility for it. One such case is the benefits and conditions that were restored for prisoners of the Pointe Blance prison and Bon Futuro in Curacao. The unions also highly condemned the actions of the medical director of the St. Maarten Medical Center Dr. George Scot who continues to refuse the FZOG cards for pensioners. Jesserun said the hospital director is acting illegally and he is targeting the wrong people for payments owed to the institution.
William Reed said another option the unions have to send their letter to the Public Servants International, which he sure would pick up their case.
Asked why the unions have not chosen to take the St. Maarten Medical Center to court of the FZOG if they feel so threatened. Josepha said they know exactly what the judge would say and instead of spending monies to start a court case they are trying to get everyone around the table to work out the matter.