FORMER Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez.
FORMER Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez yesterday came to the defence of his successor Dr Duane Sands, stating he does not feel the talented surgeon should be faulted for performing surgeries free of charge as a Cabinet minister.
In a departure from his party’s position, Dr Gomez said while he agreed that a regulator should not also be a practitioner, he understood there were extenuating circumstances to call upon such a top-rated surgeon in a country so small.
“You have to give and take, we’re in a small country with very few people with the talents,” Dr Gomez said. “Duane is a highly talented surgeon and I can understand him being requested to help because he’s a gifted surgeon, a cardiovascular surgeon.
“He’s the best trained for it,” Dr Gomez continued.
“I think there is one other person but I can’t remember his name. But it is no question that Sands is seen as the top cardiothoracic surgeon in the country.”
Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts has accused Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis of looking “the other way” as Dr Sands performed surgical procedures, an act he claimed was in direct violation of established and longstanding Cabinet code of ethics and procedures for its ministers.
Mr Roberts questioned who was paying Dr Sands’ professional indemnity insurance for pro bona surgeries at the Rand Memorial Hospital in Grand Bahama, and what would happen if there were any irregularities.
“Was it Dr Sands who proclaimed ‘nothing is free’ but now wishes Bahamians to believe that some things are free?” Mr Roberts asked in a statement last week.
Yesterday, Dr Gomez said: “I agree with that but there are extenuating circumstances that I’m not saying this should be something regular. I would want him to do my heart surgery.
“That’s how we got to look at it,” he added. “Don’t kill him for that.”
Dr Gomez spoke to reporters in the lobby of the convention centre at the Melia Nassau Beach Hotel as his party nominated candidates for executive leadership posts during its 53rd National Convention.
He said he had not seen many reports concerning public health and National Health Insurance, telling reporters that the government’s statements concerning the scheme were both confusing and concerning.
“It sounds confusing to me,” Dr Gomez said, “it doesn’t sound like what we left in place so I’m a little concerned about that.
“I’m very interested to see more about what’s happening at NHI. It’s not very clear to me. You can’t get a sense of it. I hear they’ve changed a lot of people I understand and that’s plagued with issues too because NHI is not a subject that is common.”
Speaking generally on the scheme, Dr Gomez said: “The essence of NHI is the removal of money from the point of care. If you don’t do that then it’s not NHI, that’s fundamental, so that the poor get treated. You know how many women stay home pregnant, don’t have the fees to go to the clinic, all that kind of stuff, and you end up with problems with the children.
“But that is the fundamental thing about NHI, the removal of money from the point of care. It doesn’t matter whether you have money or not to get care, and if that’s gone then we don’t have NHI.”
When asked about revelations that the public health sector was sorely underfunded, Dr Gomez replied: “The country is strapped for money, there is no question about that. You just do the best with what you have for the time being and that’s how you have to face it. You can’t steal, that’s how it is.”
Data seen by Tribune Business shows that NHI enrolment dropped off significantly compared with before the May 10 general election, when 7,307 people registered in April and 13,482 in May.
Registration dropped to 4,282 in June and 2,397 in July, as the government’s plans to restructure NHI became known. Enrolment fell further in August and September to 1,983 and 1,503, respectively, before hitting a low of 74 in October.
As a result, according to Dr Sands, the government rehired 18 of the 39 customer service representatives whose six-month contracts have expired.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 6 months ago
It is well known Gomez was engaged in a myriad of business activities regulated by the Ministry of Health while he also served as Minister of Health under the last corrupt Christie-Led PLP government. In his bent-mind there are always "extenuating circumstances" to justify doing just about anything. But going down that slippery slope all too often becomes a growing out-of-control snowball. Just look at the previous administrations led by either Ingraham or Christie since 1992 - their great love for finding "extenuating circumstances" to policies and procedures designed to avoid conflicts of interest and encourage adherence to the rule of law resulted in wide spread corruption though out government and the civil service work force.
proudloudandfnm 6 years, 6 months ago
I see nothing wrong with it either. Lord knows I waited a few months to be treated due to a lack of surgeons. I also think though if he is that talented he should have stayed in practice. We don't really need him in office....
Reality_Check 6 years, 6 months ago
That's precisely the point!
birdiestrachan 6 years, 6 months ago
He should give up his post as minister of health and do all the surgery he wants to do. It is not as if he is doing such a great job as Minister of Health. He has no new ideas. all he seems to know and talk about is what is wrong. What is right he has no ideas.
Reality_Check 6 years, 6 months ago
But he reckons he would be much better positioned to enrich both himself and his lodge friends and cronies if he remains in active politics. Trust me, there's nothing altruistic about Sands and Gomez as medical doctors, nor Minnis for that matter.
Maynergy 6 years, 6 months ago
In 1972 the islands of the Bahamas some fear had penetrated the culture; he'd sought to integrate into a formula where progress and positive thinking for national movement could give birth. P. Carl Gibson aka Ammadou wondered out loudly what was becoming of the nation when the people no longer communicated rationally with each other. Then he'd caught the whim of how again some local leaders literally directed partisans with venom and expletives had become an acceptable usage of communication. But he was reminded of what was before and what he'd been propelled into. For he had no knowledge he was going to write or what he would write about. But then Behind Grey Curtains was among the many essays he compiled as a personal history of things he'd gone through as a new and independent national.
http://thetribune.media.clients.ellin...">The late and good man named Carlton Francis was a giant of an educator and friend of the small man on the street. by Paul Carl Gibson
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