Director of Health Services wasn’t consulted about appointment of Contreras
Danini Contreras – the young lady from Benque has come under very intense scrutiny after she was appointed to the newly created post of Drug Inspectorate Director and today per appointment came under fire from within the top ranks of the Ministry of Health. She has just returned from studies in Guatemala, and has absolutely no experience in the pharmacy field but she is the daughter of U.D.P. Minister Erwin Contreras, and it is believed that her appointment is a result of that political connection. Her employment to the top post has caused consternation in the Pharmacist’s Association and controversy in the Ministry of Health, to put it mildly. But despite widespread condemnation, the Ministry of Health has stuck to its guns, stating that Contreras is the absolute best person for the new post. But that’s not what Technical Advisor to the M.O.H. is saying. Director of Health Services Michael Pitts today spoke out boldly, claiming that he wasn’t consulted, but if he had been, he would have advised differently.
FOR VIDEO CLICK HERE.
Michael Pitts, Director of Health Services
Michael Pitts
“Generally in the past we had drug inspectors who worked in the area who were very experienced people, some of them with eight to ten years experience who got some specific training on the ground…some who even went as far as Barbados for training before they were able to come back and start to do inspectorate work. It is a very serious activity and I think you need very experienced and skilled people.”
Reporter
“And apparently she isn’t, or doesn’t have that experience?”
Michael Pitts
“Well I am not aware of any experience that she has. What I am told and the knowledge that I got…she’s obviously a bright young lady who has recently graduated from a school in Guatemala in some area of pharmacy. I heard that she has a Bachelor’s Degree…those things have to be considered…you’re coming from different regions you have to look at equivalence and where they are placed. I think that overall you have to look at your pool of people in your country and see how you get the best out of it. I can’t subtract anything from the young lady….she wants a job, she needs a job…to the extent that she’s qualified she should get a job. But in terms of a process and a system, I think that if I was consulted I would advise a little differently on that matter.”
Reporter
“So you’re saying that you were not consulted at any time with the appointment of Danini Contreras?”
Michael Pitts
“No…no …no!”
Reporter
“Is that irregular for your post as Director of Health Services?”
Michael Pitts
“Well the Director of Health Services is the Chief technical Officer for the country, so I thought that somebody would have consulted with me on the matter.”
So what will the DoH do about it………
Mr Pitts prepare your bags because you will be on your way out. Nobody who works under the U.D.P administration and stands up for what is right will continue working under the U.D.P. Dean Barrow like to victimize his people. There are many people in the pharmaceutical agency that is more than qualified to fill that post. This young lady might have the degree but she does not have the experience. Its unfair to the other pharmacists for the ministry to walk on top of them and put this young lady to be director of a post that she have no knowledge of. Give the position to one of the pharmacist that has been practicing medicine for years.
Min. Contreras (notice that I did not say “Hon.”) because there is nothing honorable about a corrupt politician and he is definitely a corrupt politician. The current government is betraying all of us and laughing all the way to the bank. They must be held accountable for their unacceptable actions.
Wake up Belize! This is your health and lives being placed in the hands of someone without experience. There are many people walking around with a paper that says that they are one thing but they do not know how to perform on the job. Our health system is an essential service that should not be subjected to political hanky panky. Peter Allen is obviously lying his way through and expects Belizeans to sit back and swallow everything he says. Our health system sucks and I am certain that the said Peter Allen would not access healthcare using medication that precious Ms. Contreras signs on. Shame on all of you for not being upright people and shame on Ms. Contreras for not being able to go through a regular application process to get a job. I have no respect for such people. It shows that she is lacking in many ways and who knows now if her Bachelors degrees was actually earned through hard work or academic abilities and not paid for as well.
Pitts is going nowhere not even the prime minister can tell him what to do. I think he and Allen have been bucking heads for some time now. No good or bad in this just a whole lot of arrogant people degrading the value of our country. Under PUP this would have never made it to the surface to become an issue because everybody falls in line.
There you have it, a choice between a two unattractive options.
Where is Rod’s comment??? Bet he has nothing to say because these are Hispanic Belizeans. I respect all people by the way!
Belize is not a democracy. it’s obviuos that this political system sucks, and let whoever goes to power to run a dictatorship with no way out for many years. Blatant corruption, why you people still get surprised? Is the system that needs to be changed
Hey Mike, you where not consulted because you are not relevant.
Why would criminals need your approval?
Ali Baba and the forty have work to do destroying the country of Belize.
Just do your job and don’t get in the way.
AGREED WITH EVERYTHING POSTED, HEALTH IS AN ESENTIAL SERVICE, THEREFORE QUALIFIED AND EXPIRENCE PERSONEL IS DEMANDED, THERE SHOULD NO POLITICAL HANKY PANKY.
SO BESIDE DANINI CONTRERAS, MOH OF HEALTH SHOULD LOOK INTO ALL THOSE COUNSELORS AT THE HOSPITAL THAT WERE SEND TO TAKE OVER THE HIV TESTING PROGRAM WITHOUT ANY EXPIRENCE, SOME WERE TEAHCERS THEY BOOM SUDDENLY THEY ARE IN CHARGE THE HIV TESTING PROGRAMS COUNTRY WIDE, THIS CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEM TO THOSE AFFECTED WITH THE HIV/AIDS, BECASUE THERE WAS NO CONFIDENTIALITY. SEE HOW THE POOR PEOPLE SUFFER.
There is nothing the DHS can do about it because the PM is protecting Allen at the cost of the public health system and the Belizean people. This is the worst the health system as ever been, the only reason why there is still some improvements is because of the dedicated technical people in the MOH that is working eventhough under daily frustrations and oppression from the Allen and Pablo.