And keeping it on the topic of unqualified managers at the Ministry of Health we asked the CEO about the employment status of Peter Parchue, the Manager of the Southern Regional Hospital. As far as we've been able to find out Parchue, a former BDF soldier, has no medical background but is at the head of one of the three regional hospitals in the country. So could this be another case of the "Monima" effect? Today we posed the question to CEO Figueroa and here's what he told us.
Dr. Ramon Figueroa - CEO. Ministry of Health
"I think people are making too much of a deal. I don't know whose... in terms of the medical background, what you need is a proper manager. You have the technical expertise locally. If you are a good manager, you surround yourself with the technical people that will give you the kind of advice that you need to run the place. So, what you need is a proper manager, is a good manager and I looked at his background and his curriculum, his papers and I think he brings that to the ground. What I've seen up to now is pretty good. We have gotten excellent reports that we were not getting before. I know it's a step up from what we had before. I can tell you that much. So, it's a lot better than what we had before and I think from what I've seen right now, he is capable."
Reporter
"What makes you think he is well qualified for the position seeing that all has in terms of background experience is working at the BDF?"
Dr. Ramon Figueroa - CEO. Ministry of Health
"He has a master's degree in...I can't remember what exactly but he has a master's degree and he has quite the experience in management. I think he also worked at the Town Board for a while. I can't remember all the details, but I was satisfied when I looked at his file that he had the qualifications and the training and the experience to be able to contribute to the running of the hospital."
Reporter
"So what you are saying is that there's no real reason or purpose for having a medical background at the Ministry of Health Department as it relates to managerial posts?"
Dr. Ramon Figueroa - CEO. Ministry of Health
"Correct, if you look at the past for example, past CEO's for the Ministry of Health, there is some CEOs that don't have any medical background. you could make the argument as well the same way we are making an argument in terms of managing a hospital or a region. Why didn't they have a medical background? What you need to have is good management capabilities."
Peter Parchue replaced Nasley Somerville at the Southern Regional Hospital after Somerville was implicated for the embezzlement of 366 thousand dollars in public funds.
