Hylton appointed UHWI board chair
Published:Tuesday | December 12, 2023 | 12:12 AMSashana Small/Staff Reporter
Patrick Hylton has been appointed chairman of the board of management of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).
His appointment comes five days after Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton dissolved the previous board over what he described as a clash of personalities and levels of dysfunctionality.
Hylton will serve a three-year term, and has been appointed along with realtor Dwain DeAndre Cox.
Their appointments follow the recent resignation of former chair Wayne Chai Chong and his deputy, Dr Andre Foote, after what Tufton said was a series of discussions on the strategic direction of the hospital and deliberations on the way forward for critical projects.
However, a Gleaner source revealed that among the concerns that impacted the former board included governance issues and the chairman’s hiring process in the search for a new CEO.
The Gleaner understands that the steps taken by the chairman did not have the full support of the other directors.
In a statement late yesterday evening, Tufton said the new board is expected to bring synergy and cohesion necessary to effectively pursue the reform mandates for the UHWI.
“The reform mandates include, among other things, the recruitment of a new CEO and restructuring of the organisation; completing the implementation of the computerised health information system and construction of the new six-floor tower,” he said.
He stated that their nomination for selection for appointment to the board was conducted in accordance with Section 10 of the Public Bodies Management and Accountability (Nomination, Selection, and Appointment to Boards) Regulations 2021, including that all nominees are registered on the Public Bodies’ Database of Prospective Directors and confirmed by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service by email.