Row breaks out over CEO job

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Reynald Cooper and Chairman of the NWRHA, Dr Patrick Watson are at loggerheads over the proposed appointment of Stewart Smith as the new CEO of the North West Regional Health Authority. And caught in the middle are the board members who, Newsday understands, are divided on the issue. Cooper has in writing expressed strenuous objection to Watson’s  appointment of Smith. Cooper, who was a member of the interviewing panel which selected Smith as a “preferred candidate,” felt so strongly about the issue that he submitted a minority report to Dr Watson. Cooper is the Permanent Secretary with specific responsibility for Regional Health Authorities and his report was sent to all members of the NWRHA Board.

His report, which listed strong reasons for his dissent, pointed out that Smith used very colourful language during the interview for the job, which he (Cooper) thought was highly inappropriate and disrespectful. Cooper also cited Smith’s disrespect for the Public Service, public service procedures and the Ministry of Health during the period that he worked as Hospital Administrator at the PoS General Hospital. Cooper recalled that Smith abandoned the job, refusing to acknowledge or respond to correspondence sent to him by the Director of Personnel Administration. Said Cooper: “Mr Stewart Smith held the position of Hospital Administrator in the Ministry of Health during the period 1998-2000. He was granted leave of absence by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health to take up a consultancy with the Government of St Lucia during the period 2000 to 2002. Mr Smith was due to resume duties as Hospital Administrator...but failed to report to his supervisor, the Permanent Secretary, on that date. On September 2, 2003, the Director of Personnel Administration wrote to Mr Smith indicating that he had been absent from duty without permission with effect from January 2, 2003...There had been no response by Mr Smith to the correspondence of the DPA.”

Smith’s appointment was subsequently terminated. Notwithstanding this incident, Smith was again offered a job. The Permanent Secretary noted that Smith was offered a contract position with the National Oncology Programme/National Oncology Centre by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health “in the early months of 2003.”  Once again he failed to respond, this time to the remuneration package that was offered to him. The package had been recommended by the Minister of Health and approved by the Public Sector Negotiations Committee. Furthermore, Cooper stated, Smith used unacceptable and unparliamentary language in the interview for the CEO position, which confirmed his unsuitability for the job. “During the interview, Mr Smith used foul language in the presence of Miss Wendy Ramkerrysingh, Corporate Secretary NWRHA and secretary to the interview panel, to express his point of view in response to a question. I hold the view that the use of the word was inappropriate especially in the presence of a female who may be his future subordinate staff. If such disrespect were shown to the interview panel, what assurance is there that foul language would not be used with his subordinates.”

The Permanent Secretary stressed that the CEO has to work in the environment in which the Authority has to function and that the principal actor in this environment is the Ministry of Health.  In order for the NWRHA to function, it requires active cooperation and close collaboration between the two institutions. “Therefore,” he added, “the preferred person should not only be viewed on the surface as the “best choice” of the Board but also as the “best fit” within the NWRHA organisational environment. The PS also provided a copy of the letter written in September 2003 by the DPA to Watson in which Smith was told that the Public Service Commission had noted that he had been absent from duty “without permission” since January 2, 2003. The DPA stated that the Commission was therefore proposing to “declare” that “you have resigned your office” “in accordance with the provisions of Regulations 49 of the Public Service Commission Regulations.” The DPA invited Smith to submit representations on the matter to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health.
   
Cooper stated that the “preferred candidate” for the position of CEO must demonstrate the ability to be ethical, inspire employees, provide coaching and mentorship for the management team and build a performance culture at all levels of the NWRHA. The interview panel, which was chaired by Watson, submitted its final report for the selection of CEO last Thursday, recommending that Smith be given the job. One day later, Friday, Cooper submitted his minority report to the Chairman. The NWRHA Board is the body actually charged with making the appointment of the CEO. The Minister has no say on the individual selected, but has to agree to the terms and conditions. Newsday understands that the Board met yesterday to discuss the issue. Sources said several persons on the Board supported the Permanent Secretary’s stance and they were not in favour of appointing Smith, over and above, his objections. If Smith is appointed it would be creating a situation of conflict with the Ministry and in particular with the Permanent Secretary, with whom the CEO must deal on a day-to-day basis, one source stated. The members of the Board are (Deputy Chairman) Jan Thomas, Michael Quamina, Dr Geoffrey Frankson, Devi Mooleedhar, Nigel Galt, Sherlyn Monteil and Watson. The contract of the previous CEO Leonard Jagessar was not renewed.