Minister Says He Has No Legal Authority to Constrain His C.E.O.
On Wednesday, the president of the Public Service Union came out swinging against the Minister of Health and Wellness, following the circulation of a memorandum in which Chief Executive Officer Doctor Deysi Mendez was reportedly informed that all financial transactions above three thousand, five hundred dollars must be approved by Minister Michel Chebat. According to Dean Flowers, the constitution is explicit in stating that the C.E.O. is also the accounting officer for the ministry. This morning, we put that question to Minister Chebat.
Isani Cayetano
“Sir, the president of the Public Service Union has come out against you for purportedly limiting the CEO’s ability to spend monies above three thousand, five hundred dollars without your express consent. Can you speak to that in light of what the constitution says that she is in fact the chief accounting officer for the ministry?”
Michel Chebat, Minister of Health & Wellness
“Sure, this is limiting, I don’t have the authority to limit her. What is happening is, as you know, things are moving very quickly with COVID and we felt that it was important for us to just step back a little bit and assess what’s going on and to make sure that all of our resources are going in the right direction. That is all it was. I don’t have any legal authority to limit her or to constrain her.”
Isani Cayetano
“How do you respond to the allegation as well from the president of the PSU that your son is driving a government vehicle and is being allowed to use fuel and what have you?”
Michel Chebat
Michel Chebat
“Well he is not, not even I drive a government vehicle. As you all know, I am using my family vehicle because the government has not afforded me a vehicle. So I am using my family vehicle, I get a gas allowance which I use for my vehicle and yes, there have been times when I have been in the city that I have asked my sons, one or either of them to refill the vehicle to take me somewhere and it’s my family vehicle.”
Reporter
“So he does not have a government fuel card?”
Michel Chebat
“He does not, it is my fuel card.”
