When we left it last week, Universal Health Services was, according to the Minister of Health Jose Coye, on the verge of a takeover by a new group. Coye confirmed that it would be taken over by a new group called the Belize Health Care Partners. But while the takeover was imminent, it hasn't happened yet.
The lead man for the new group is reported to be Dr. Venugopal Muthugoumder, popularly known as Dr. Vinny, a surgeon from La Loma Luz hospital in Cayo. He is out of the country and couldn't be reached for comment, but he told the reporter newspaper last week that discussions were ongoing.
And while the management of the hospital is one matter, the other is the $33.5 million debt that the government and people of Belize owe the Belize Bank. The principal payment of 33.5 million dollars was due on Monday the 24th - and from what we've been told by senior government sources, it was not paid.
But, according to those sources, both government and the bank are satisfied that it will be paid and our source says that payments will not be from government funds. And according to government sources, for the time being, this promise of an eventuality has satisfied the Belize Bank.
Presently, no timeline has been set for when the deal with Dr. Vinny's Group will be concluded - but it is described as imminent.
