Green light given for independent audit of K.H.M.H.

And as the pressure mounts, late this evening a government release says that the Auditor General’s office will develop the Terms of Reference for the full independent audit on the financial transactions at K.H.M.H. The Terms of Reference will require two reports: one for the sixteen months prior to the installation of the current Board and the other for the sixteen months after their installation. Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Allen, says that reputable audit firms will be invited to submit proposals to conduct the work and at the end of the day, the goal will be to fix whatever weaknesses within the system.

Dr. Peter Allen, C.E.O., Ministry of Health (via phone)
“We feel that a contract should be awarded to a successful proposal and then based on the successful proposal that would indicate what length of time would be required to complete the audit. I can tell you that as a lay person we would hope it would be completed in approximately one month’s time, but that would just be my hope as a lay person.”

Marion Ali
“Dr. Allen I don’t know if you heard the comments today of Mr Cecil Knowles who was the Finance Director and resigned four months after Dr Fabro took over. Did you hear his comments today?”

Dr Peter Allen
“I’m afraid I did not.”

Marion Ali
“Okay, he’s saying he got direct instructions from Dr. Fabro himself to make these purchases from De la Fuente Pharmacy and also from Gillett’s Meats in Orange Walk Town regarding the hospital’s kitchen meat supplies.”

Dr. Peter Allen
“Of course that’s interesting and I think that’s precisely the reason why we want the full and independent audit so that the exact truth can be laid out sequentially for everybody to see.”

Marion Ali
“As the C.E.O. in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Allen, if the audit shows that there was nothing illegal that occurred, but there some very unethical decisions that were made, what can be done to the persons who fall directly under that scrutiny?”

Dr. Peter Allen
“I’m actually not sure what can be done but obviously what should be done will be decided based on the audit so I wouldn’t want to prejudge the audit. But I can assure yourself and the general public that we want to be sure that we right whatever wrongs.”

Allen says recommendations will also be taken from the B.M.D.U. and the Nurses Association for inputs to the Terms of Reference.