Latest update February 18th, 2025 1:40 PM
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RESIGN OR BE FIRED!
The year 2015 was a great year for Guyana and the Peoples National Congress (PNC) (the major partner in the APNU+AFC government) which was in opposition for twenty-three uninterrupted years. However, during the past sixteen months, the government has demonstrated an uncanny approach to governance.
People were convinced that its national development plans outlined in its manifesto, particularly its focus to improve health care and education, reduce crime and stamp out corruption would set the country on the right path. It also promised change, but nothing much has changed with this government from the last administration.
Very little has been done to achieve the goals outlined in the aforementioned manifesto.
Attempts to improve health care became even worse with shady deal to store drugs in an unfinished bond. Efforts to improve health care have been stymied by the Minister of Health who has been in constant conflict with the management of the Georgetown Public Hospitals.
It seems that managing the Ministry of Health has become very difficult for the minister. First, someone by the name of Paul Price showed up at the Georgetown Public Hospital claiming to be the Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Government officials including the Minister claimed they knew nothing about his appointment and no investigation was ordered.
And if that were not bad enough, the Minister of Health was in conflict with the Board of Directors of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) over the reinstatement of its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Based on the forensic audit report, the Board concluded that the CEO was cleared of the allegations of wrongdoing and has reinstated him. But the Minister claimed that the audit report provided enough evidence to terminate the CEO who was sent on administrative leave to facilitate the audit. Therein lies the conflict.
It appears that the Board of the GPHC and the Minister have not read the same audit report, and if they did, then someone does not understand English. For the Board and the Minister to arrive at two different conclusions is mindboggling. However, this publication has since reported that the Cabinet has appointed the Attorney General to mediate the discord between Minister and the Board of Directors regarding the reinstatement of the CEO. This is an unnecessary distraction.
And just when the nation thought it could not get worse, it did with the bombshell announcement of the drug bond fiasco. Not only did the Minister mislead Parliament, but the Government’s advancement of $25M for an unfinished bond for the storage of drugs and other pharmaceuticals is a flagrant abuse of the Contingencies Fund.
According to financial experts, advances of public funds should only be made from the Contingencies Fund if the matter is urgent, unforeseen, and cannot be postponed without jeopardizing the public interest. The funds must be approved by the House and the money should have been taken from the Consolidated Fund. Further, it would be more cost-effective if the Government were to renovate its own bond at Diamond. But it seems that there is no commonsense by this government or the previous one when spending the taxpayers’ money.
The bond is unfinished, yet the government has certified it and agreed to pay the company with no medical background $12.5M per month in rental fees to store the drugs. The government has breached the law, violated the public trust, and broken its campaign promise to do away with sole sourcing.
Clearly, the Minster of Health had deceived Parliament on several issues concerning the bond. His actions have embarrassed the government to the point where the Head of State had to defend him by stating that he was trying to avoid the pitfalls of the previous administration.
No one would believe that. It is inappropriate for ministers to investigate a Minister and to conclude that he should apologize for deceiving Parliament is a gross insult to the people. He should resign or be fired for his incompetence.
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