The KHMH Board and its medical staff remain at odds tonight – and the rift at the Belize’s national referral hospital is widening. Today the board held a press conference to respond to the accusations hurled by the Belize Medical and Dental Union yesterday. The Board’s Chairman Ricardo Fabro, its Vice Chair Laura Longsworth and Board members Maria Elena Sylvestre, Ministry of Health CEO Peter Allen, and hospital CEO Francis Longsworth came out swinging – in the press conference that was broadcasted live on two radio stations. It ran for two hours but the big news out of it is that the board will not give into the union’s request to suspend its chairman, its CEO, and the Hospital’s Director of Finance Carlos Perrera. Vice Chair Longsworth made that adamantly clear.
Laura Longsworth, Vice-Chairman – KHMH Board
“MOU has to have participation of the two parties for it to be an MOU and so far we not sit at a table to craft.”
Keith Swift,
Is the board agreed to accept the suspension of Mr. Fabro, Mr. Longsworth, and Mr. Perrera?
Laura Longsworth,
“How can we do that unless the evidence is presented of wrongdoing? I don’t understand the claim. If there is evidence of wrongdoing, all those persons as they said heads will roll. We need to get to the table and see what evidence they have.
We are in agreement with the Labour Commissioner that he seeks separate meetings with the union in an attempt to get the union to sit with us. We have agreed once again to meet on Monday. We sincerely hope that meeting takes place. However in recognition of the seriousness of the allegations lodged against members of the hospital board and management team, in the interest of the institution, the Commissioner has offered his assurance that if the union boycotts the scheduled meeting, he will advise the Minister that we need to start working towards the establishment of a tribunal.”
