Dr. Alvaro Rosado has been the CEO at the KHMH for 8 years. And, technically, he still is, except that he’s been at home for the last 5 weeks after being placed on compulsory leave by the new Board of Directors. And that was fine with him because Rosado has a contract that extends up to next year March – a contract he signed in January of this year, a month before the election. But, now he’s crying foul because – even though he’s been placed on leave – Rosado says the hospital did not pay him for April. Now for a man who has a contract until next year – that’s a breach – and he discussed it with us this morning.
Dr. Alvaro Rosado,
“De facto, I am nowhere. I have been taken off the KHMH payroll. I was sent on leave five weeks ago and told to go on compulsory vacation leave and since then I have heard nothing from KHMH except that I called on Wednesday to find out why my salary was not deposited in the bank and the Acting CEO at KHMH Audrey Grant told me that she had been instructed by the Chairman to take me off the payroll and not to pay me any monies that were due to me.”
Jules Vasquez,
But you feel you are entitled because you have a contract?
Dr. Alvaro Rosado,
“Well I am entitled, my previous contract ended the 31st of March and I am entitled to a gratuity from that contract and any vacation that I did not use. They are refusing to pay that and now they sent me on compulsory leave and they have not paid me for the month that I am on compulsory leave. And I have a contract which continues up to the end of March of 2009.
I have no idea why this thing has reached the stage that it has because through my attorney I have informed the board I don’t have a problem with leaving. Let us sit down and discuss the matter and amicably agree. It doesn’t have to come out to this kind of dragged out public scene that it is going to be turning into.
It is so ridiculous that I was sent on leave Holy Thursday and on Tuesday, the following Tuesday after Easter Monday, I remember that I did not bring my phone charger with me. So I called Miss Grant and I said I would like to come and pick up my personal belongings and she said I have to come when she is there. I said I had a key and she said the Chairman instructed her to break into the officer and change all the locks. And I still have not gotten all my personal possessions from the office. It is that bad with the handing over, the lack of handing over.”
Jules Vasquez,
But in the same way though it can be argued that if you knew a change of administration was imminent, regardless of who won the election things were going to change, it is irresponsible then or it is not an act of good faith to sign on to a contract extending beyond the life of the government or the administration which you serve.
Dr. Alvaro Rosado,
“Again the perceptions that are bringing forth are out there – everybody has that impression; why did you go and sign a contract just before election. I would argue that I was acting very responsibly by ensuring that there was continuity for the hospital, to ensure that whatever government came in, that the hospital would have a team managing the hospital. And all I am asking is under my contract. I have had a contract, there are certain things I am entitled to, and let us get this over with and get it done. What does it mean for the KHMH in the future? As I’ve said over the last 8 years the management of KHMH has worked to develop systems and we have systems in place. So I don’t think that it will be a fatal blow, I don’t think the institution is going to collapse. It might struggle a little bit but new blood might be good at this time. I have set up the system for 8 years, maybe it is time for somebody new to come in.”
Acting CEO Audrey Grant told us that on the matter of his salary – the KHMH board is acting on legal advice and she would not comment further. As regards the allegation that they broke into his office and changed the locks, Grant told us that it not as he make sit out to be. She says that when he went on leave, he took the keys so, she says, they really had no choice but to break the locks because work had to continue. Whatever the case, the matter is in the hands of attorneys for both sides now – and we get the feeling, we haven’t hear the last of this one.
