Retiring painter gets the brush-off

West Coast man Barry Sweetman has been unaffected by all the fuss, according to his wife. Photo / Greymouth Star

A district health board has tried to save face after being slammed for refusing to shout afternoon tea for an employee retiring after more than 50 years.

Painter Barry Sweetman finishes up today after his long service in the trades staff for the cash-strapped West Coast District Health Board, but a request to have the board help pay for his farewell afternoon tea was knocked back.

The board's stance drew national media attention, and a roasting from critics.

Labour Party health spokeswoman Ruth Dyson said it was a "complete insult" for the board not to put on some snacks for Mr Sweetman's farewell function, while a union official called it "totally bloody disgusting", and suggested the person who made the call should resign.

In a statement in response to the criticism, the health board paid tribute to Mr Sweetman's long service, calling him a "valued member" of the trades staff, but did not offer to contribute to the afternoon tea.

"Management and staff have personally contributed to Barry's farewell in appreciation of his outstanding service," the board said.

"Barry's years of service to the West Coast District Health Board were also recognised in a staff function on the 50 year anniversary of his starting employment with the board."

Neville Donaldson, of the Service and Food Workers' Union, said: "Taking that to its logical conclusion, are they now saying that it is the responsibility of their employees to host a farewell do for another employee? They should be downright bloody embarrassed to have to admit that if the staff hadn't contributed, there wouldn't have been anything."

Late yesterday, the Herald learned that Mr Sweetman's farewell had been shifted from today to a function last evening, in order to accommodate another gathering, and the health board had "come to the party".

Mr Sweetman's wife, Val Sweetman, said the board had contributed a small amount of food to the event, which was organised by others. Her husband, who got a gold watch through a collection that went around the health board staff, had been unaffected by all the fuss, Mrs Sweetman said.

"It's all worked out."