Audit finds enough evidence to terminate GPHC’s CEO- Minister

Audit finds enough evidence to terminate GPHC’s CEO– – Minister

Aug 09, 2016 News

Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton

GPHC CEO, Mr. Michael Khan

“We have got to be concerned about the instructions of any Minister being ignored or not acted upon,” declared Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, yesterday.
The Minister was at the time addressing the recent decision by the Board of Directors of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to reinstate Mr. Michael Khan to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Khan was sent on administrative leave last year to facilitate a forensic audit of the procurement process at the hospital. The audit was conducted by Junior Finance Minister, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma, and the findings were recently released.
While the Board, which is headed by Dr. Carl ‘Max’ Hanoman, has concluded that the findings cleared Khan of allegations of wrongdoings, Minister Norton has insisted that this is not the case.
He told this publication, yesterday, that “we have not evaluated fully the audit report.”
But according to him, “When one, even at a glance, evaluates the (audit) report, there is so much evidence (against Khan), enough for him to be deprived of further employment (at the GPHC).”
Khan resumed work on Friday on the instruction of the Board but according to the Minister, he has since issued him a letter rescinding that decision. “I have sent him a letter instructing him of the official position,” said Minister Norton yesterday. The official position is that Khan is not to resume duty, he said.
While there are reports that both Khan and the Acting CEO had turned up to work yesterday, Minister Norton assured that “good sense has prevailed. We asked Mr. Johnson not to present himself in order to avoid confrontation, and Khan has been instructed not to be there.”
This publication has been informed that Johnson recently proceeded on one-month sick leave but was required to resume duty in order to sign a letter instructing the hospital’s Director of Nursing Services, Sister Collene Hicks, of a decision made by the Board for her to proceed on administrative leave.
The Board has decided to investigate allegations made against Hicks including, that she has been insubordinate and unwilling to work with some doctors of the institution.
But soon after Johnson resumed his leave officials of the hospital were questioning whether a Deputy CEO was appointed. This is in light of the fact that one Paul Clarke turned up at the institution informing officials there that he was appointed Deputy CEO by the Permanent Secretary within the Public Health Ministry, Trevor Thomas.
Thomas has since denied appointing Clarke and Government through Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, insisted that as far as Government is concerned there was no such appointment.
Ever since this development was highlighted Clarke has not returned to the institution with his claim.
Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr. Sheik Amir, is currently acting in the capacity of CEO, Minister Norton informed yesterday even as he insisted that “we never had a doubt about who is in charge.”
Turning his attention to the fact that the Board decided to reinstate Khan without his blessings, the Minister categorically asserted that “there should never be an issue with my decision and the Board…it is spelt out in the Act – the Georgetown Public Hospital Order – the decisions of the Board has to be approved by the Minister.”
Moreover, Minister Norton underscored that “any decision that does not have the approval of the Minister is in violation of the Order.” And according to Minister Norton, since the Government is one of order and thus sticks to the rule of law “the situation will be easily remedied and we will do that…Cabinet will make such a decision.”
Following the move by the Board to reinstate Khan, Minister Norton said that he invited the Chairman of the Board to his office for a ‘one on one’ meeting to inform him of the state of affairs.
However, Minister Norton said that the Chairman advised that he was otherwise engaged. “He subsequently invited me for a drink at a club which I considered not only disrespectful but an insult,” said the Minister.
During the past week the Minister noted that “while there is a Board with a Chairman who I appointed…it is not an executive Board.” He added too that “we have persons who are not familiar with their roles and have been doing what they are not supposed to do and we will have to straighten that out.”

1 thoughts on “Audit finds enough evidence to terminate GPHC’s CEO– – Minister”

george wiltshire August 9, 2016 at 1:39 pm

Here we go round the mulberry bush. I am glad the Hon Min has the testicular fortitude to make a sound decision. Some body is fooling this nation. are we going to be forthright honest or mere bootleggers.

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