The Tribune

NATIONAL Insurance Minister Shane Gibson allegedly attempted to “cover up” a reported NIB policy violation of a $15,000 guarantee issued to Doctors Hospital by providing the payment, a source claims.

Details of the guarantee first came to light in court documents filed by suspended NIB Director Algernon Cargill.

He claimed former NIB Chairman Gregory Moss went against company policy and instructed NIB’s senior deputy director to issue the money to cover a woman’s heart surgery and the Board was informed of this decision at an August 30 meeting.

“At this meeting, the Board was advised that Mr Moss had instructed NIB to give $15,000 for the person from Grand Bahama’s surgery,” court documents say.

“Mr Moss subsequently advised the Board that prior to his instruction to Mrs Cecile Bethel (Senior Deputy Director), he had been advised that this type of advance did not fit into NIB’s statutory benefit parameters.

“A member of the Board reprimanded the chairman... stating the chairman had compromised his position as chairman.”

Mr Cargill says further in his Affidavit, the money was not reimbursed by Mr Moss but was given to him by an attorney on the direction of Mr Gibson.

“The payment for this guarantee was provided to me by attorney, Ms Melissa Hall, and not Mr Gregory Moss, on the direction of the Minister Shane Gibson, with further instructions to meet with Doctors Hospital and request that the hospital not bill NIB for the illegal guarantee issued by Cecile Bethel on the direction of Gregory Moss,” court documents say.

The source pointed to Mr Gibson’s provision of the payment by way of an attorney, as stated in court documents, to support his allegation of an attempted “cover up”.

The source said upon hearing about the guarantee, an “irate” Mr Gibson took steps to recover the money.

“Prior to NIB’s September Board of Director’s meeting; Minister Shane Gibson contacted Director Cargill to determine why NIB issued an illegal guarantee to Doctors Hospital,” the source claimed.

“He was very irate and annoyed that this guarantee was issued and his primary concern was to cover it up,” the source claimed. “Mr Cargill explained the full circumstances to Minister Gibson who then advised him that he would seek to raise the funds from a donor and asked Director Cargill’s assistance in recalling the guarantee from Doctors Hospital.”

The source questioned: “Why did Minister Gibson seek to cover up the illegal guarantee? Why did he consider this necessary?

“Why is Prime Minister Perry Christie not stepping in and insist that accountability is the order of the day for all persons who participated, i.e., Cecile Bethel, Gregory Moss and Shane Gibson. There does not even seem to be a reprimand for this act and subsequent cover-up.

“Who did Minister Gibson raise the $15,000 from? Perhaps Attorney Hall can provide the Bahamian public with a copy of the funds she received to satisfy everyone once and for all who actually paid for the $15,000 RBC draft that she purchased.”