Com. of Inquiry closes out week one
As the Commission of Inquiry, charged with the responsibility to investigate the transfer of HIV blood to three patients at K.H.M.H., closes out its first week, eight people have testified. Ann-Marie has been following the proceedings all week.
Ann-Marie Williams
“The last witness to testify this afternoon before the Commission of Inquiry was Amalia Gonzalez. She works at the Stat Lab as a medical technologist. She said that when she got the okay from Marjorie Mariano at the Blood Bank to use the blood, she took off the unscreened tag and proceeded to prepare for the transfusion. She said that she did the preparation for two patients only, the late Andy Myers Jr. and last surviving seven-year-old girl. She asked the commission, who is accountable for the third patient? She wants to know. At the end this evening, I spoke to Chairman, Sir George Brown and he gave us an update and what to expect next week.”
Sir George Brown, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
“As we go along, we find that there are little loop holes which we need to fill, and it cannot be filled by those who we have called. And this is why we are asking…we did ask for an eighth and the recall of one of those who gave evidence before.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“I’m not going to ask you to comment on the proceedings today, but so far what are your thoughts?”
Sir George Brown, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
“My thought is that on Monday we should be able to wrap up the evidence taking, as early as Monday. I’m hoping to do that. And let me say the records are being produced quite quickly by our secretary. So after that we’ll probably have about three days of having the records fully put together, and then we’ll seek to get together, maybe over the next…by the end of the week, and see if we can put together a draft.
We have to meet with the Prime Minister, that is our charge, to give him a report. And then between ourselves we’ll decide on a day when it would be made known to the public.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Worse case scenario; what can happen in the end?”
Sir George Brown, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
“I am looking at the positive side, that the entire service to the public would be improved. As you know, you’ve heard already that consultants have come in and they have made recommendations. I’ve looked at one of these already, and it goes in line with quite a bit of the recommendations made by some of the witnesses, at least the senior staff. As we have heard, recommendations have been made over the years before successive governments for the improvement of the Central Medical Lab and they have a staff problem.”
Commission Chairman George Brown says one witness will be called to testify a second time next week. The inquiry resumes at 10:00 a.m. on Monday when Stat Lab technician Amalia Gonzalez continues her testimony under oath.
