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FM
Former Member

‘New’ Deputy CEO perplexes senior GPHC officials – position non-existent; Board unaware of appointment

Aug 03, 2016, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....ware-of-appointment/

Senior officials of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) including the hospital’s Board were reportedly stunned yesterday when a ‘new’ Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) turned up at the facility issuing instructions for a meeting today.

This publication understands that the “new” Deputy CEO, Paul Clarke, whose last known public sector position was manager of the Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre, arrived at the public health facility and informed senior officials of his appointment. Clarke, this publication was reliably informed, arrived at the public hospital yesterday informing senior officials that he intends to have a familiarisation meeting with them.

But this publication was told too that not only isn’t there a position of Deputy CEO at the hospital but the Board, which is tasked with ensuring the optimal performance of the facility, was not even aware of the appointment.

Reports reaching this publication suggest that Clarke arrived at the hospital and said that he was there on the instruction of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Mr. Trevor Thomas, to take up the position. A telephone call to Thomas’s office yesterday to verify this appointment was met with disclosures that Thomas was engaged in a meeting.

Kaieteur News was told that Clarke did not bother to present a letter of appointment to anyone to substantiate his claim of being the ‘new’ Deputy CEO.

Reports are that the Acting CEO, Mr. Alan Johnson is currently on sick leave. Filling the gap in his stead is Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr. Sheik Amir, who, this publication was reliably informed, was also unaware of Clarke’s appointment.

“This is not only disrespectful to the Board of Directors but it is disrespectful to the entire hospital…how can we operate like this,” questioned an official close to the operation of the hospital yesterday.

This development comes at a time when the hospital’s Board is dealing with a number of controversial issues, including the reinstatement of its CEO, Mr. Michael Khan.

Khan was sent on administrative leave last year to facilitate a forensic audit of the procurement process at the hospital. However, this publication understands that the findings of the audit conducted by Junior Finance Minister, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma, cleared Khan of any wrongdoing.

Although the Board, ahead of the unveiling of the findings, had agreed that Khan should be reinstated once cleared, the Board is said to be currently divided about having him returned as CEO.

Moreover, the Board has since written to Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, to preside over the matter.

When contacted yesterday Minister Norton acknowledged that while he has the final say when it comes to Khan being reinstated, he also intends to bring the findings to the attention of Cabinet before a decision is made. Cabinet met yesterday, but this publication was not able to verify whether the matter was brought to its attention.

However, Minister Norton had made it clear that “the forensic audit might have very little to do with reinstatement…but much more to do with if a wrong was done, to what extent and the consequences.”

The Minister added too that even if a decision is made at the level of the Board on this issue he must first approve it before it can be enforced.

He was not available for a comment on the appointment of the ‘new’ Deputy CEO.

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Bibi Haniffa posted:

DUPLICATE THREAD!

Except for this specific thread, there is no other with the title ...

‘New’ Deputy CEO perplexes senior GPHC officials – position non-existent; Board unaware of appointment

FM

Bai D-G don't you know your English to Guyanese translation?

‘New’ Deputy CEO perplexes senior GPHC officials – position non-existent; Board unaware of appointment

 

translates to

You izzz Who? And izzz where you come From?

 

Kari

Seriously though, there is no such position of Deputy CEO. For such a position to be created the GPHC Board would first have to approve it and then Parliament would have to amend the Order that created the GPHC.

The current Board understandably is against a Deputy CEO position. This will be resolved pretty soon though; but what is the Coalition Government doing to allow such nefariousness?

Kari
Kari posted:

Bai D-G don't you know your English to Guyanese translation?

‘New’ Deputy CEO perplexes senior GPHC officials – position non-existent; Board unaware of appointment

 

translates to

You izzz Who? And izzz where you come From?

 

lolGrinGrinlol

FM

PS to scrutinise “appointment” of GPHC Deputy CEO

Aug 04, 2016 News, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....-of-gphc-deputy-ceo/

The appointment of a new Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) was not the handiwork of the Permanent Secretary, Mr Trevor Thomas. Thomas himself made this disclosure yesterday.

He, however, noted that while he is not aware that one Paul Clarke was appointed to the post of Deputy CEO, he intimated that “he might have been asked to go there but not appointed. The Ministry can recommend anybody to the Board but the decision to appoint resides with the CEO and the Board.”

But according to Thomas, “I am looking into the matter.”

Reports reaching this publication suggest that on Tuesday Clarke turned up at the hospital and informed officials there, including the hospital’s Board, that he had been appointed as the Deputy CEO. The man also asked for a meeting with senior officials of the hospital.

Clarke’s last known public sector employment was as the manager of the Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre.

It is alleged that Clarke told officials at the hospital that he was sent by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health to take up the appointment. He, however, had no letter to verify his claim.

Thomas, when contacted yesterday,‘ did not deny sending Clarke to the hospital but insisted that he did not appoint him. The Permanent Secretary, moreover, emphasised that he is not aware that Clarke has been appointed as the Deputy CEO. “I am looking into the matter and will be better able to clear up the matter by (today),” Thomas said yesterday.

But a source close to the operation of the hospital informed this publication yesterday that based on Clarke’s disclosure that he was sent by the Permanent Secretary, the Board has since sought clarity by writing to Thomas. While the content of that letter was not shared with this publication, it was revealed that the letter was sent off yesterday.

This publication was informed that since Clarke did not turn up with an instrument of appointment, senior officials did not avail themselves for a meeting with him yesterday as was requested.

Moreover, the Board has concluded, this publication understands, that Clarke’s appointment is “null and void.”

Among the legal mandate of the Board, an official related yesterday, is to appoint and terminate at the GPHC. Added to this, this publication was informed that the position of Deputy CEO does not even exist at the institution. In light of this an official emphasised that “we are governed by rules and regulations…A position like that (Deputy CEO) if it exists, should be advertised and interviews done before an appointment could be made.

“The Government has said that it wants transparency and that is what we are working towards – transparency,” asserted an evidently riled up official yesterday.

The fiasco has consequently resulted in a delay into the investigation into allegations against the hospital’s Director of Nursing Services (Matron), Sister Collene Hicks. Hicks was recently sent on administrative leave to facilitate an investigation.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hospital, Dr. Carl ‘Max’ Hanoman, had revealed that a “Committee of Inquiry” would be set up to spearhead the investigation of allegations that Hicks was insubordinate and failed to perform in the best interest of the institution. Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Alan Johnson, was expected to oversee the work of the Committee.

But this publication understands that Johnson has since proceeded on a month-long sick leave. There are reports, however, that ever since Johnson proceeded on leave, confusion has overwhelmed the operation of the hospital.

It all started with the release of a report detailing the findings of a forensic audit into the procurement process of the hospital. The audit was conducted by Junior Finance Minister, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma. To facilitate that audit the substantive CEO, Mr. Michael Khan, was sent on administrative leave.

Based on the findings, Khan has been cleared of all wrongdoing. But there still remains division at the level of the Board whether Khan should resume his duties. In fact, the Board has since written to Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, to decide on the way forward.

Now the dilemma at the GPHC, from all indications, is evolving with the arrival of Clarke claiming that he was the new Deputy CEO.

FM

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