ERHA boss sent on leave

Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA), Esau Mohammed, was on Wednesday sent on two weeks leave. In his absence manager of the Sangre Grande Hospital Paula Chester has been appointed to act as CEO. Chairman of the ERHA John Eckstein was asked was the grounds for which Mohammed being sent on leave, he said, “The board wants answers to questions and we felt under the circumstances it is best if he was on leave.” Pressed to comment if the issue involved money, he responded “absolutely not.”

Eckstein declined to say what action would be taken at the end of the investigation because to do so would be premature and “does not serve anyone’s interest.” Mohammed has been with the ERHA for more than five years. Contacted yesterday, Mohammed said he was on vacation until January 3 or 4. He told Newsday  he had not been on vacation for more than a year and had accumulated leave. Asked about the investigation taking place, he replied that an inquiry has been going on at the ERHA since January 2002. “It is looking at transactions prior to January 2002 and may have been triggered by the auditor general’s report.” He did not think there was a link between the timing of his vacation and the investigation.