Arun Hotchandani Replaces Dr. Andre Sosa as K.H.M.H.A Chairman

Arun Hotchandani

There has been a seismic change at the top of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital tonight. Chairman of the hospital’s board, Doctor Andre Sosa has been removed from that position. The news came on the same day that the K.H.M.H. Workers Union decided to abort its plan to take industrial action against the hospital. However, our sources tell us that the two events are said to have no connection. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Chairman of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, Dr. Andre Sosa, has been removed from that post and replaced with Board Member Arun Hotchandani. The reason for the change is still a matter of speculation. However, sources say that the relationship between Sosa and the hierarchy of the Ministry of Health and Wellness has been deteriorating for some time. We contacted the Minister of Health and Wellness, Kevin Bernard for comment, but he indicated that he would not give any comment on the change until Monday. We note that, as stated in the K.H.M.H Authority Act, removing the chairman of the Board does not require a vote among the members of that board. This is because the chairman is appointed by the Minister. News Five understands that an email was circulated; informing all relevant parties that Sosa would be temporarily replaced by Hotchandani, who will serve as Chair until February twenty-eighth. The news of Sosa’s removal happened on the same day that the K.H.M.H. Workers Union announced that it had aborted its plans for industrial action against the hospital’s administration. This was after ongoing differences between the two. The union and its members showed up to work two days this week in their union T-shirts and shorts to reflect their continuous claims that the hospital has been short on medical supplies and equipment. The union had threatened a sick-out today but announced that they would no longer carry out their plan after the hospital’s CEO, Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, offered an apology on Thursday. In that apology, she explained that she may have offended some when she responded to their concerns about the shortages. Had the union decided to carry on with their plan, they would have held a “walk-out” on Monday. News Five has tried to get comments from Dr Sosa, as well as from Arun Hotchandani, about the replacement of the post of chairman. We have also tried to get the President of the Worker’s Union, Andrew Baird, about their decision to abort their plans, but the responses have been that there would be no comment. Hotchandani did not respond. A member of the union told us that the disputing parties had made strides since Thursday. We’ll keep you updated on subsequent developments at the K.H.M.H.