Cay Hill:--- An argument among union members of Windward Islands Health Care Union Association (WIHCUA) escalated on Tuesday during a meeting that was called by the union to discuss the statement the union sent to the media Monday attacking the Minister of Health for the statements he made regarding the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC). While the WIHCUA invited their members to a meeting on Tuesday, they issued a statement to the media Monday night stating that the nurses said certain things and the meeting with the nurses and other medical staff had not yet been held.
The argument between the two union members was heard by patients and bystanders outside of the St. Maarten Medical Centre, while the verbal attack went out live on the airwaves. Jules Carty, a shop steward and member of WIHCUA told SMN News that he was one of the nurses who questioned the union about the statements they made to the press without consulting with them. Carty said that Brenelda Arrindell openly insulted him in the presence of everyone and at no time did she apologize for her vulgar behavior. Carty said that he was even more shocked when the President of WIHCUA Julien Lynch arrived at the St. Maarten Medical Centre and called him a "nigger" as he stood up to greet him. "Mr. Lynch stretched his hands out to greet me and when I stood up and shook his hands he called me a nigger. I immediately told Mr. Lynch that he should never call me a nigger instead he should address me by my name." Carty said he knew that some of the nurses were talking about him from early in the day because he was highly annoyed when he read the newspapers on Tuesday and saw the statements the WIHCUA made on behalf of the nurses without speaking with them.
Several of the nurses expressed concerned about the statements the WIHCUA made to the media before speaking to them. "We were fighting against the abuse and injustice for years now and finally government is seeing what is happening and who is milking the hospital." The nurses said that they did not mandate the WIHCUA to make any statements their behalf since the union did not consult with them as is customary.
SMN News learnt that some of the nurses felt that the WIHCUA has changed course and something does not seem right with the union anymore. "This is same union that was against the decisions and behavior of the Medical Director Dr. George Scott and the amount of caps he is wearing. The public relations officer Greg Arrindell on several occasions spoke out against the management of the SMMC but today the table has turned because the WIHCUA seems to be endorsing the behavior and malfunctions of the only medical institution on the Dutch side of the island."
The St. Maarten Medical Centre operated on a skeletal staff after most of its workers responded to the union's call for a meeting to discuss the statements made by Minister of Health Cornelius de Weever. The meeting lasted more than two hours and it ended when the Minister of Health agreed to meet with the union on Wednesday morning. Public Relations officer Greg Arrindell of WIHCUA and President Julian Lynch confirmed to reporters that members from all sections of the hospital attended the meeting.
The union and its members criticized the Minister of Public Health for stating that there is much to be desired at the SMMC. The Minister of Public Health made the statements last week after SMN News published an article about the deplorable conditions of the SMMC and the amount of monies the Supervisory Board and the Medical Director are making. SMN News also reported that a draft report has been presented to the Minister of Health describing the deplorable conditions of SMMC and its equipments.
Members of the media asked the President of WIHCUA if he felt that certain things needed to be changed at the SMMC, Lynch told reporters that is not for him to say. However, he said that the union got its message across to its members and they remained together even though there was an outburst. Lynch described the nurse that voiced his opinion as the sheep that was trying to lead the flock away but he eventually had to leave alone.
