The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

A NATIONAL Insurance Board meeting scheduled for yesterday afternoon could aid in bringing closure to the uncertain status of suspended NIB director Algernon Cargill, National Insurance Minister Shane Gibson indicated yesterday.

Speaking outside cabinet yesterday morning, Mr Gibson responded to Mr Cargill’s Supreme Court request to have the forensic audit investigating allegations made against him reviewed and also noted Mr Cargill had a meeting scheduled with the board for yesterday afternoon.

“There’s something called natural justice, where you have any adverse findings against the person, that person is allowed to defend themselves before you make a decision and so, on Friday afternoon sometime, we got a call that Mr Cargill will meet with his lawyers and National Insurance today,” Mr Gibson said.

“They have a meeting scheduled today at either 1pm or 3pm with the board and as soon as they meet, then the board will make their recommendations.”

When asked if the dismissal of Mr Cargill from NIB could be a recommendation that comes out of the meeting, Mr Gibson said: “I don’t want to pre-empt the board, but the board has some concerns. If he’s able to clear it up then I guess everything will be alright.”

Speaking on Mr Cargill’s request for the Supreme Court to have the results of a Grant Thornton forensic audit reviewed – citing, among other things, that he was not provided with questions for an interview with auditors prior to the report’s release – Mr Gibson said: “All of us know the story. The auditors invited Mr Cargill to come and meet with them. Mr Cargill set some unreasonable conditions that he wanted them to agree to, before he would agreed to meet. So it wasn’t that they didn’t want him to meet. He decided, as he is doing now, that before he meets with them, they have to send him all the questions in writing.”

Mr Gibson said he’s hoping the board will make recommendations after the conclusion of the meeting.

“If not by today then by tomorrow,” Mr Gibson said. “They have a meeting scheduled today and hopefully after the meeting they will be in a position, as soon as the meeting is over, to sit down and meet as a board and to formalise a decision.”

Mr Gibson said he will take their recommendations into consideration when he makes a decision on the way forward – because “they can’t terminate anybody or hire anybody unless they receive ministerial approval”.

As for Mr Cargill’s other complaint concerning the appointment of firm Grant Thornton as auditor, Mr Gibson said firmly: “Section 7 of the National Insurance Act says that the minister may give specific instructions to the board after consultation with them, whatever he considers to be in the best interest of the public.

“If you read section 7 that is very very clear as to the powers of the minister, very clear... Mr Cargill and his lawyer know better, but they are now grasping at straws.”