Bipartisan committee needed to investigate allegations of corruption

Dear Editor,

It’s a sad day when persons placed in the public trust ignore professional ethics and social responsibility and make fools of themselves in the media, trying to defend the indefensible. I refer to a letter written by the apologist for Carol Joseph, the CEO of the Region 5 RDC, Mr Ovid Morrison, which was published on April 25, 2017.

In his response to a previous letter written by me detailing the abuse of the addictive drug Pethidine by the discredited former APNU/AFC RDC Councillor, Morrison correctly stated, “Ms Joseph could not have accessed these drugs all by herself, since they are kept under secure circumstances at the Hospital”, and, “The dosages of medication Ms Joseph received were prescribed by doctors.”

Morrison is also correct when he wrote, “I must note, however, that implicit in the allegations of her abuse of medication at the Fort Wellington Cottage Hospital is the insinuation that the doctors at this hospital were less than professional; or worse, (were) aided and abetted Ms Joseph in her alleged abuse.”

But nowhere in his letter did he question why, despite repeated complaints of drug abuse by Carol Joseph, an investigation was not done by the Regional Medical Officer of Region 5, Dr Steven Cheefoon. Neither did he explain his reasons for instructing the RHO to immediately transfer the whistle-blower, Staff Nurse/Midwife Sherilyn Marks, from the Fort Wellington Hospital, where she performed exemplary service for the past four years.

Instead, REO Ovid Morrison sought to defend allegations of medical misconduct by two doctors working at the Fort Wellington Hospital under his administration. Those doctors helped to facilitate this addiction.

Then there is the allegation of medical misconduct against the RHO himself; who, knowing the history of her addiction, wrote a prescription on October 25, 2016 for Carol Joseph in someone else’s name, and ordered his staff at the nurses’ station to administer the drug to her, despite their refusal to do so on the ground that the prescription presented by Joseph was not in her name. I have evidence of the RHO’s initials being on the prescription and on the Dangerous Drug Act book, certifying that the drug was given on that very day.

Morrison should know that the RHO never signs this book, but was forced to do so because the certifying nurse refused to be part of this illegal act and also because the administering of this drug has to be certified in the book, as required by the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Disturbingly, I am aware that despite the immense coverage the Carol Joseph drug abuse was given in the press, she is still accessing Pethidine from the Fort Wellington Hospital, and this with the knowledge of the RHO. And the nursing staff are being threatened with being transferred, like Nurse Marks was, if “they talk” about it.

Is the RHO, Dr Steven Cheefoon, so oblivious to the seriousness of what he is allowing to take place at this hospital? Or is he doing so with the approval of an arrogant Government which is determined to take care of their own?

The public disclosure of Carol Joseph’s addiction forced her resignation as a Region 5 RDC Councillor; she did not do so voluntarily. After being investigated by the police for allegations of fraud at the Mahaicony/Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS), followed closely by the disclosure of her addiction, she was undoubtedly fast becoming an embarrassment and liability to the PNC-dominated APNU. What other reason could be given for her abrupt “resignation” from that group as well? She had to go. But now she need professional help to recover from her addiction, and should not be allowed to continue feeding it. But this is exactly what is being done with Dr Cheefoon’s knowledge and approval.

I have documented evidence that shows Carol Joseph has been getting this drug since 2008. So how does REO Ovid Morrison explain, or even try to justify, the actions of the two doctors under his administration, who collectively are responsible for writing these prescriptions for Carol Joseph all these years? Surely, the doctors must have known they were contributing to her addiction. The question is: “Why?”

But now that the REO is aware of all the allegations of drug abuse and medical misconduct taking place under his watch at the Fort Wellington Hospital in Region 5, I expect that he would act professionally and advise the Ministry of Public Health to name a special bipartisan committee to investigate these allegations of corruption.

Sincerely,

Harry Gill, MP (PPP)