(CNS) UPDATED: The Health Services Authority has now confirmed that during a "routine monitoring of department metrics" a number of "irregularities" were discovered and an internal audit is now underway. The authority has given no details of those irregularities or commented on what is believed to be around a dozen security staff who have been suspended on full pay while a private sector firm has been temporarily contracted by the hospital to do their work.
The health ministry has remained silent on the issue, even after the HSA released its short statement around lunchtime Thursday, after initially refusing to comment when asked yesterday.
News emerged yesterday that the team of security officers at the hospital had been placed on some form of required leave while officials complete an internal probe into overtime. CNS, like other news organisations, had contacted the Health Services Authority and the ministry about a letter given to security staff, who are employed directly by the HSA, suspending them from the job on Monday, but they had refused to comment.
CNS understands that the letter sent to staff gives scant indication of why they were suspended for 30 days, other than it was related to "irregularities", as echoed in today's press statement.
The latest controversy relating to overtime and the management of public finances comes days after the same ministry refused to comment on what is believed to be a similar scandal relating to the director of the Department of Environmental Health, who remains on some form of leave regarding investigations into overtime and other management issues at the dump. Despite widespread speculation that government is attempting to force the director's resignation, the ministry is refusing to comment.
This what happens when you lie/deceive and put good smart honest people spitefully out of their job and bring in people in from "your" church to fill positions…, when you do interviews over the phone.. I know now someone got some questions to answer….. karma we love you..
Yes tut alors exactly who should we employ non Caymanians in Cayman???you seem to have so much advice and hate for Cayman why don't you go back a yard and fix all the corruption your highly educated countrymen practice everyday. I doubt though because you won't get away with the kind of chat you got around ya . But of course many of you hypocrites who are living the life here would like to turn this place into a society dominated by you and are hard at work trying to make that a reality. Be thankful because had been your crime ridden and hostile countries it would be so peaceful now would it.
And you know where Tut alors is from how exactly? Is the rule that anyone critical of the Civil Service is automatically not only an expat, but must be from a corrupt, crime filled and hostile country?
11:29 pm, if he was fighting for caymanians employment, he would've done house cleaning at the HSA.
There are a few individuals who use every opportunity to criticise the Brac and people from the Brac. CNS, can you please request the posters to identify the individuals who hold senior positions just because they are from the Brac? Also, you can request they provide information that they are not qualified to hold these positions? Some people sure have nuisance value!
This is the most accurate comment I've ever read on CNS. This is simply the truth, like it or not. I worked in the private sector for ten years and then CIG for four years before returning to the private sector and the difference is amazing. While there are many hard working competent CIG employees, most would not make it in the private sector performing at their current levels. Sad, but true.
7.26pm . Genius!!! I hope you are 'Caymanian – if not – why you here???? Could get a job inna ya yard???
When did we go "metric"?.
I have said it before, and i will say it again…this Cayman Brac Affirmative Action that the CIG uses when appointing HOD'S has to stop. Look at EVERY department, unit, or authority that is headed up by these incompetent individuals. Not because they are from the Brac, just the wrong individuals!!!
It's not just Cayman Brac affirmative action, it's Cayman Islands affirmative action. There are loads of appointments made simply because it's a Caymanian without any regard to their ability. The only qualification and experience is being a born Caymanian and growing up here.
Work smarter, not harder. That's the Brac's moto.
So let me get this straight – a routine check (operational and financial control) was undertaken that raised a flag. Upon reviewing the data that led to the flag, management realized that fraudulent activity may have taken place. They requested an audit to determine if something inappropriate (misuse or misstatement of OT hours) did in fact take place, and the extent to which it may have occurred. The investigation is now ongoing and relevant personnel have been placed on leave pending the outcome. Seems to me like the system operated appropriately and the control caught the activity as it should. So why exactly are so many commentators decrying HSA management and accountability?
How long did it take before this was discovered?
Don't know, likely and neither do you. As such, maybe neither of us should imply that it's (best-case) short or (worst-case) long and let the investigation take its course. Presumably the results will be made public once finalized.
Guess we won't know until the investigation is done, D'uh.
Will there ever be any closure to this issue? Or, will those security guards remain suspended on full pay for the rest of their days like other civil servants? Must be nice! Does anything ever get fully resolved in Cayman? It seems like most scandals that are aired, hang around for a bit and then get swept under the rug hoping most people will forget about them. Cayman has some major lumpy rugs!!!!
There are plenty people got free money after Ivan to rebuild their houses into big apartment blocks without planning permission and they are now renting these out to low paid Jamaicans. Check Bodden Town.
This is not "success" or the type of "growth" that should be accepted as the new norm simply because it exists everywhere else.
The degredation of Cayman society is in direct correlation with the growth of its "security industry".
It doesn't exist everywhere else on anything like the scale as it does here.
6.03am – you got it right – these security business were created and is now a big part of crime in cayman. We never had all these problems until the creation of security guards. What a joke… next to CCTV cameras. Corruption.
10.13 Which one is the chicken, and which one the egg". Security companies usually do well in two situations : (1) Economic growth, and/or (2) High crime environment.
I see some real PhD's replying to me this morning, smh.
If you will write so profusely, at least use words that you are familiar with.
Wow…that was quite some effort you put into that attack.
I am actually hurting on your behalf. Please seek professional help.
Lastly, I speak a number of languages.
You leave Swamp out of this. Just hardworking people living there.
Didnt the Premier have responsibility for Health and Environmental Health last term ? Wonder why he never asked for an audit ?
The HSA will always be the same unless there is a move towards accountability. The leadership failures continue to be rewarded so nothing will change for the better.
So let me see if I understand the comments here. You ask for a zero tolerance on corruption and accountability in the public service. But when these exact things happen you complain. Go figure!!
While I was working with CIG all overtime had to be approved by a member of management BEFORE it was worked. Was this approved by a member of management? Did they have a budget for overtime? Was it exceeded? There should have been red flags to know that this was happening. We'll wait and see what become with the persons responsible for approving the overtime and the finance team that processed it.
Shame. Shame shame. This island growing way too fast.
On going corruption. Fleecing the poor Government. What a mess … funny how John public knows what going on and have been going on for years and years and the department don't know.. hummm…., just wondering!!!!
what else needs to happen for it to be understood that serious change needs to be made in the management (or lack thereof) of HSA and action taken?
That's ok, the current security staff are useless anyway.
it's the private sector firms That are in control. If civil servants owed the firms we would be getting value for money.
National Security is at hospital at the time!!
Owned by the private sector.
That pineapple really, really needs to go…for real — along with a total cleansing of these Islands.
Ambulance Office next… do it immediately auditor.
Ha! just wait for the waste management scandal to hit next….
Where does it say that this has anything to do with finances?
You know it is said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I hope we are not all going insane by expecting the health minister to do anything or to have any kind of response. He cannot, he is way out of his league.
Wow… are we surprised? Keep looking!!!!
How many more scandals and financial mismanagement does the country have to go thru? Somebody had to approve the overtime and authorize payments. HSA Management must be held accountable.
Is it the Minister's security firm that has been hired? Perhaps CNS can inform us of the security firm now in place at HSA.
I thought all security firms were owned by civil servants who work for Government in their spare time.
Kate , If the security firm is belong to the Minister , then I would think that his Political career should be over . And is this the same Minister I heard fighting for Caymanian employment .