The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

IT is “too early” to say if anyone will face consequences due to alarming findings in a forensic audit into the Public Hospitals Authority, Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez said yesterday.

However, he added that he is sure the government “will do the right thing”.

Yesterday marked the first time Dr Gomez spoke publicly about the report’s findings – which some observers see as a damning indictment on the public health care system – despite the fact that it was completed on March 31.

When asked why he had not tabled the document in the House of Assembly, Dr Gomez said the audit had to be reviewed by Cabinet first – something he said will be done “soon”.

He said the forensic report is still being investigated by the PHA’s board.

“The PHA report is under review and I will wait for that to be done

before I comment, it is also being investigated by the board. They met and reviewed it last Tuesday and when they are done it will be viewed by Cabinet,” Dr Gomez said.

“Cabinet needs to see and review the report and it would be premature of me to speak to consequences right now, but I am sure we will do the right thing. I will speak to everything once the report is reviewed.”

When asked why the report has not been tabled in the House of Assembly Dr Gomez said there is a “process that needs to be followed.”

He said: “With a very major issue like that, something like that piece of work, it goes before Cabinet first and so the report has not even gone to Cabinet yet because the PHA is still reviewing it and we will be happy to table it once the review is completed.”

Last week Dr Gomez was dismissive when questioned by reporters over the report, which had been leaked to the media.

The document, prepared by John Bain, found that at the end of 2013 there was a $10m deficit in pharmacy inventory between the physical count and what was reflected on the Princess Margaret Hospital’s information systems. It also found that PHA’s management “knowingly refused” to enforce best practices to its inventory process that expended approximately $30m a year.

The report suggested that there should be frequent reshuffling of the executive team in an effort to reduce the appearance of corruption.

On Thursday, Democratic National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney said the details in the report “suggest a level of dishonesty, collusion, and inattention which has unfortunately become synonymous with many government ministries and departments over the past many years”.

“In the face of such blatant fraud, one would think that the government would have immediately enlisted the Royal Bahamas Police Force and other relevant authorities to bring those responsible to justice,” Mr McCartney said. “Unfortunately in the days following the release of this damning information, government officials from both of the previous administrations have failed to give an account to the Bahamian people.”

Mr McCartney also criticised government ministers and opposition MPs for passing the buck over the damning revelations by playing the “blame game.”

In the House of Assembly last Tuesday, when the report was raised by Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, government ministers Dr Bernard Nottage and Shane Gibson placed the blame for the $10m drug shortfall on the Ingraham administration.

Former Health Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said he needs to review the report before he can speak on the matter.

The 92-page report was commissioned on July 13, 2013. It covers the period of July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2013, with some references to earlier periods.