You have no jurisdiction
In a letter dated November 28, Dr Anand Chatoorgoon, head of the Anaesthetics Department of the San Fernando General Hospital, told the Medical Board of TT that it had no jurisdiction in the matter involving a notice which he (Chatoorgoon) had placed on the hospital’s notice board on April 18, this year. Four doctors who regarded the notice as threatening took objection and reported the matter to the Board which is currently investigating the circumstances. Chatoorgoon was asked to respond. On May 10, the board’s secretary Dr Neil Adrian Singh wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions, seeking advice on the notice. The DPP forwarded the matter to the Commissioner of Police. Detectives from the San Fernando CID interviewed Chatoorgoon at the Augustus Long Hospital about the notice. On September 12, Chatoorgoon wrote to DPP Geoffrey Henderson, requesting a copy of the Medical Board’s complaint. Henderson, by letter dated September 29, wrote back to Chatoorgoon, stating that he was yet to receive the Medical Board’s written complaint. Adrian Singh’s letter of November 9 to Chatoorgoon stated that a written complaint was made against him to the council of the Medical Board by Drs Rajendra Persad, Lakhan Roop, Colin Furlonge and Steve Budhooram. The letter expressed how the four doctors’ viewed Chatoorgoon’s notice. In Tuesday’s reply, Chatoor-goon stated that he held the view that the Medical Board did not have jurisdiction in the matter and could not usurp the function of the police. Section 24 (5) of the Medical Board Act, Chatoorgoon stated, specifically lists circumstances under which a medical practitioner may be deemed to be guilty of infamous, or disgraceful conduct. Chatoorgoon stated, "In any event, the question of the appropriateness of the board investigating the same matter which the police have been requested to investigate, arises. "The board ought not to usurp the function of the Police Service," the letter stated. Chatoorgoon also stated in his letter that no threat of any kind was intended in his notice. Chatoorgoon, a specialist anaesthetist, also stated in his reply that he would undertake to assist the Medical Board in the matter. Chatoorgoon’s notice of April 18 this year suggested that anyone betraying the anaesthetic cause could be punished with a lethal dose of Diprivan. Diprivan is one of the drugs used in anaesthetising patients before surgery.
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"You have no jurisdiction"