PAC moves against hospital CEO

The House of Representatives on Tuesday took another step towards possible action against University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Fitzgerald Mitchell for failing to comply with a summons to appear before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

A call was also made for Parliament to increase the fines imposed on public officials who refuse to appear before parliamentary committees when summoned. The current penalty for the infringement is $200 or up to 12 months in prison.

PAC Chairman Julian Robinson on Tuesday presented a special report on the matter to Parliament, which was subsequently adopted by lawmakers.

The adoption of the report paves the way for the matter to be referred to the Committee of Privileges for investigation and consideration of whether Mitchell’s conduct constitutes contempt of Parliament.

Following its deliberations, the Committee of Privileges will refer the matter, along with the relevant documentary evidence, to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration of proceedings under Section 18(a) of the Senate and House of Representatives (Powers and Privileges) Act.

In his remarks, Robinson said the report went to the heart of Parliament’s role in holding the Executive accountable.

He explained that parliamentary committees must sometimes summon witnesses to provide explanations about reports prepared by the auditor general as part of their responsibility to hold the Executive accountable.

Mitchell was first invited by the committee earlier this year to appear before it as it examined the Auditor General’s Performance Audit Report on the hospital.

After he declined to appear, the committee served him with a summons to attend a meeting.

Robinson said that, despite repeated requests and the formal summons, the CEO, who is paid by taxpayers, refused to appear before the committee.

“We consider this to be a dangerous precedent where a public officer who is in charge of a major institution that has been the subject of damning allegations and a report from the auditor general is summoned to the Parliament and flagrantly refuses to appear,” Robinson said.

The PAC chairman cautioned that Mitchell’s disregard for the committee’s authority should not be allowed to go unchecked, as it could establish a precedent for other public officials to ignore requests to appear before parliamentary committees.

Robinson said appropriate action should be taken to ensure that public officials appear before parliamentary committees when invited or summoned.

“I urge the Parliament for the sake of being able to fulfil its responsibility through committees to hold the executive accountable and must set an example where public officials choose not to appear before the committee that the appropriate sanction be applied,” he insisted.

He also urged Parliament to review the fines imposed on persons who refuse to appear before parliamentary committees, noting that the current amount was woefully inadequate.

“It is paltry and does not serve as a deterrent for persons who want to flout the authority of the Parliament,” he added.

editorial@gleanerjm.com