AG to mediate, resolve GPHC issues within one week – Minister Harmon

Georgetown, GINA, August 11, 2016

Cabinet has appointed Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams as the mediator to intervene and make recommendations to resolve issues between the Ministry of Public Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The Attorney General is expected to submit his report within one week.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, made this disclosure at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing this morning at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Addressing media operatives, the Minister of State reported that, during Cabinet’s last meeting, Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton briefed members on the state of affairs at the GPHC.

“Among the issues raised in the report were the relationship between the subject Minister and the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the decision of the Board of Directors to re-instate the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital who had been previously sent on administrative leave to facilitate a forensic audit of the institution,’ Minister Harmon reported.

Having listened and deliberated on the issues put forward by the Public Health Minister, Cabinet then decided to intervene and appoint the Attorney General, as a mediator to query into all issues raised in the report by Dr. Norton, and to make recommendations as to the issues raised in the report to Cabinet of its resolution within one week.

Government remains committed to ensuring that the GPHC and all health care institutions function effectively in the delivery of efficient services to citizens.