Rahael: Dr Furlonge was appointed by the PSC, not Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health did not support the appointment of Dr Colin Furlonge as Medical Chief of Staff of the South West Regional Health Authority. This was indicated by Minister of Health John Rahael at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall. Rahael said he wanted to make it abundantly clear that Furlonge’s appointment was made by the Public Service Commission (PSC), “not the Ministry of Health.” And in the light of the appointment, Prime Minister Patrick Manning has again pointed to the need for constitution reform which among other things would make the Public Service Commission accountable.

Rahael pointed out that on January 16, the Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry wrote to the Director of Personnel Administration, recommending Dr Anand Chatoorgoon act from January, 2004 to May, 2005 (while Austin Trinidade is on compulsory leave). The PS in his reason ruled out Furlonge as a suitable candidate, saying that he did not have any extensive experience in hospital administration as required in the job specification. Chatoorgoon on the other hand was thought to have extensive experience in a hospital environment, Rahael stated. However, the PSC rejected the PS’s advice and by letter dated February 3, the DPA informed the PS that the PSC had appointed Furlonge to act as Medical Chief of Staff from February 4, 2004 to March 17, 2005. Asked whether Furlonge, who has been the major initiator of several doctors’ strikes and who functions as the head of MPATT, would maintain his trade union activism, Rahael said both the chairman and CEO of the Regional Health Authority are committed to working with Furlonge. “Our interest is in working with whoever is in the position to meet our objective — which is putting the needs of the patient first and foremost to deliver quality health care.”

Asked whether he felt that the PSC, which is chaired by Kenneth Lalla, deliberately sought not to cooperate with the government on this appointment, Manning said a mechanism for accountability of the Service Commissions in this country was clearly needed. He said the Republican constitution in seeking to ensure that there was no political interference in the Public Service, had made the PSC accountable to no one. He said this was one of the issues for constitutional reform. He noted that there was a mechanism in the proposed Police Reform Bill, which abolishes the Police Service Commission and replaces it with a Police Management Authority. He said he was sure that a similar model could be found in the Public Service sector.