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And turning back now to our interview with Minister Of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard we asked him about the fact that he was the only official from three Ministries and several government departments to reach out to the Toledo resident who alleges she was sexually assaulted during a medical examination by a radiologist.
And while that one action puts Minister Bernard at a cut above the rest, we also asked him why his Ministry left the police to investigate, and why the doctor alleged to have committed the crime still retains his practicing licence. Here's more:
Reporter:
"23 year old victim from PG. She has said you were the only person to reach out to her for the many she copied in her letter of complaint. Speak about your decision to reach out."
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health
"I will say this because this matter is now in the hands of the police, and I would want not want to engage in anything. I know that from the very beginning that the the email came to me. My team have been on the ground communicating with the victim, the purported victim, and we took the necessary action that needed to be taken."
"Again, I will leave that as that. I want to ensure that the proper process goes through and wherever the chips lie, let them lie."
Reporter:
"But sir, can you explain justification for your ministry, leaving the matter, principallythe police to the police when it's primarily a breach of medical protocol?"
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health
"Let me again state for the record, while this happened, this alleged allegation happened at a private facility. We at the ministry are not the police. We are not the police. It's a criminal matter that was being alleged. And so it must go through the necessary process. We at the ministry have done our part to make sure it goes to our process of the public service."
"That is where it is in our position. We will not I will never condone any level of abuse, whether it is in the private sector or the public sector. The Medical Council also got the copy and have taken necessary review that will take place. But again, because it's in the hands of the police, we cannot we have to let due process takes its course before all other steps are then taken to address the issue of the Doctor."
Reporter:
"Sir you had to reprimand this person for a similar incident before. So now the question is he retains his license despite that. Should the medical board take action to suspend his license?"
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health
"The public service regulation speaks clearly of process that must be followed. We can only do what is instructed by the public service regulation. The doctor had to be, because he works at the public sector, had to be sent on leave until such matter is being dealt with by the courts. So I will leave it at that and I would not want to comment any more on that."
We'll keep following the criminal case of sexual assault against Doctor Desmond Arzu.
