By Lara Pickford-Gordon Sunday, August 29 2010

The debts accumulated by the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) have prompted renewed calls by its workers at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) to settle outstanding arrears of increments.

Various categories of workers including nurses, doctors, clerical staff and patient escorts are owed money. Speaking on behalf of the workers was Yvonne De Peiza, Industrial Relations Officer with the Public Services Association (PSA) who said retirees are owed for 2002-2004 and staff for 2004-2006, 2005-2007.

She told Sunday Newsday that she has received word that the Ag Chief Financial Officer has disbanded the arrears team which was responsible for dealing with processing the backlog. To add insult to injury, De Peiza said the PSA has learnt that administrative staff based at Building 39 had received their arrears two months ago. She said workers are constantly calling or writing the PSA regarding monies owed by the NCRHA. De Peiza said, “something is not right with the Finance Department.”

She questioned the management of this department and referred to an episode which happened recently. De Peiza said she was notified that the exclusive responsibility for printing cheques was removed from the supervisor in charge of Accounts Payable. She said a printer used to print cheques was removed from the supervisor’s office and placed in the general office. A directive by a senior manager states that any staff member could print cheques but other workers are unwilling to accept the responsibilities associated with this. The supervisor was responsible for dealing with void, cancelled, and stale-dated cheques as well as issuing cheques.

De Peiza said the area where the printer is now located is a thoroughfare and security concerns arise. She said there have been several complaints about a senior official in the department who behaves in an unprofessional manner and still no action has been taken. De Peiza is hoping the new board appointed to the NCRHA board will make changes.