2 weeks Ago By Davion
Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn has denied claims that he was solely responsible for removing Moleto Smith as Chairman of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) back in 2023. Penn’s denial follows accusations from Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, who suggested in the House of Assembly that Penn was guilty of removing Smith just as Opposition members accused the government of attempting to remove the current BVIHSA Chairman. Addressing the issue on the Talking Points show recently, Penn insisted that the decision to remove Smith was a collective one made by the Cabinet, not an individual action.
“I didn’t remove Moleto Smith. The Cabinet removed Moleto Smith, which the Premier, [Kye] Rymer, and the Minister of Education were part of in that process,” Penn explained. He added that the Cabinet unanimously agreed to the decision, suggesting there was consensus on Smith’s removal back then.
Penn’s comments follow confirmed reports that Health Minister Vincent Wheatley asked current Chairman Ron Potter to resign via a WhatsApp message. Sacking Smith was collaborative Penn stressed that the removal of Smith as Chairman was done in collaboration with others. He explained that there were discussions and evaluations before the final decision.
The former Health Minister also indicated that he could not disclose details due to the confidentiality of Cabinet proceedings. However, he maintained that the decision was not his alone. “It went through Cabinet in flying colours,” he added.
In defending the actions taken during his tenure as Health Minister, Penn pointed out that the BVIHSA Board, under Potter’s leadership, had put forth a comprehensive plan for self-sufficiency. This plan included a long-term vision to reach a break-even point, aimed at reducing the financial burden on the government. Despite this, he suggested that the government’s recent criticism of Potter might be politically motivated.
Penn also addressed the administration’s handling of the BVIHSA. He argued that the government is attempting to use Potter as a “scapegoat” for the health sector’s financial issues. “All it is, the minister is under tremendous pressure.
He needs a scapegoat. And he finds the perfect scapegoat in Ron Potter,” Penn said. Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited.
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