Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. (File photo)
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis confirmed yesterday that Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen has relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, and is working remotely on border issues related to COVID-19.
He spoke a day after Dr Brennen, asked to confirm that he is leaving for Baltimore, told The Tribune this was “not so”. Officials did not respond before press time yesterday to questions about when the deputy chief medical officer moved to Baltimore.
Dr Brennen told this newspaper in August that claims he intended to resign his post were false.
A paediatrician by specialty, many in the public healthcare sector expected him to succeed Dr Glen Beneby as Chief Medical Office, but the Minnis administration in 2017 appointed Dr Pearl McMillan to that position instead.
Dr Minnis said yesterday: “There are rumours on social media and other media entities that Delon Brennen is not here in New Providence, that he has moved. It is true, Delon Bremen is still employed with the ministry, he’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, he has relocated, joined his family, his family lives in Maryland, and Delon is stationed at the Washington, DC, office, the embassy.
“He works virtually every day by the ministry and as a government and as a people we would want to encourage families to be together and, therefore, in this world of technology where individuals can live in Japan and work in New Providence, can live in the UK and work in New Providence, you don’t necessarily have to work on that particular landmass to be employed and I would urge all Bahamians to become technologically savvy and advanced because our jobs in the future can be jeopardised because an individual can be living in Ireland or New Zealand and working in Scotia Bank or Royal Bank, etc.
“So we must take advantage of it. Once we are technologically advanced we too can be living here in New Providence and working at Wall Street or wherever and Delon Brennen is a perfect example. He’s stationed in Washington and he’s employed, he’s working every day. He’s responsible, working with the Ministry of Tourism and his responsibility is border control. He is taking the forefront and leading the charge in terms of border control, what needs to be done, how it’s done and doing all the data collection, etc, and assessment with that. But he is working along with the medical team, he’s still employed with the medical team and if it’s necessary at any point in time that he needs to come to New Providence, his presence is required, then he will come. Outside of that he’s working virtually every day so he’s still employed, but we would not want to discourage families from not being together.”
Comments
joeblow 4 years, 1 month ago
So are we to believe that the salary of a civil servant at that level is enough to allow him and his family to live in the US and for him to travel back and forth as needed? Are we really seen to be that daft? Seems more likely Brennen told them to piss off and found another job because of their incompetence!
sheeprunner12 4 years, 1 month ago
Agreed ............. life is good for doctors in USA, why settle for the peanuts as DCMO in The Bahamas????? ....... Was his wife not a teacher???? Why would she leave FIRST and go and live in Baltimore with four young children?
trueBahamian 4 years, 1 month ago
Why did the PM waste time going on about technology and being with family. Cut through the bull and simply say that Dr. Brennen has handed in his resignation and is completing the last weeks or couple months of his employment with the Ministry of Health. It just looks horrible to see the PM just spew this dribble. People leave because of better opportunities or because they were not treated fairly. Be a man, grow up and just admit that the man has left the public service. Dang!
birdiestrachan 4 years, 1 month ago
Why did the Doctor not tell the truth in the first place?
No one can blame him from getting away from doc.
TalRussell 4 years, 1 month ago
The colony's Embassy's exiled charge d'affaires rearranging deck chairs on RBS Titanic. Shakehead once for Yeah more daily feed Reds BullShit Titanic, Twice for Not making this crazy up? -
birdiestrachan 4 years, 1 month ago
It must have been very hard for an intelligent Doctor Brennen to deal with doc. who is not of sound mind, the doc does not have the ability to think things through,
tribanon 4 years, 1 month ago
Many Bahamians lucky enough to be able to flee the Bahamas for a better place have either done so or are now in the process of doing so. They've rightfully recognized there's no hope for The Bahamas under the very corrupt, nasty, arrogant, vindictive and grossly incompetent Minnis; no hope whatsoever. And those fleeing know the worst has yet to come!
tetelestai 4 years, 1 month ago
This is very true. Those who can leave have already done so. Those who are here either cant leave or waiting for their boat to come in. Cant blame them.
John 4 years, 1 month ago
So does Dr. Delon Brennen get paid in Bahamian or US currency?
JokeyJack 4 years, 1 month ago
Does it matter? We know that in 2014 we were worried about currency devaluation and so we made the VAT to pay down foreign debt. As Min. Peter Turnquest has said, that money is safely in the Consolidated Fund - so I doubt much debt paying down has occurred.
But - you know - we never believe our currency will be devalued - so he can be paid in B$ and be fine. Maybe the Target and Publix in Baltimore is take Bahamian money. It is have the Queen on it, and that crazy girl and Prince Harry are living in California - so they might accept it there too.
LOL - LOL - LOL
My guess is that the Stupid Meter has blown a fuse, and we cannot accurately get any measurement of the whole situation.
TalRussell 4 years, 1 month ago
Talk about the gold standard outsourcing of the colony's best jobs!
I have no clue what Comrade Dr. Delon's stick is but hats off to any colony's deputy chief medical officer who pulls off works their job responsibilities from abroad on foreign soil. Shakehead once for Yeah if the job comes with a government motor car, and an expense account - plus return airfare visits back to the Homeland, Twice for Not?
JokeyJack 4 years, 1 month ago
Tal, I'm with you. I'm shaking my head all kinda times (lost count). Up and down and left and right. My head even spinning. Some days I wish my head would just fall off totally so I don't even have to think about these things.
Oh let's twist again, like we did last summer. Oh let's twist again, like we did last year .....
TalRussell 4 years, 1 month ago
My ComradeJokey, Chubby Checker is as fresh today as he was some 50 years back when Papa Hubert and your comrade, watched icon do his thing. Please report, Em's still going strong - just two weeks back, touch slower moves but still performing turned 79 and still entertaining adoring fans at his live shows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1paFcll…
bahamianson 4 years, 1 month ago
brennen's switch to the US has to be fine with you because you can't do anything about a person leaving one job for another.
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