The public hearing into alleged corruption at the Karl Heusner Memorial
Hospital began today with one witness. The witness was the hospital’s
Director of Finance Carlos Perrera who testified for three hours. Previous witnesses
had a lot to say about Perrera and today he had a lot to say about what he did
and didn’t do. Here’s how it went.
Keith Swift Reporting,
KHMH Director of Finance Carlos Perrera who has controlled the KHMH’s
finances since 2008 directly disputed previous testimony about his role in the
purchase of pharmaceuticals and supplies from vendors in Orange Walk.
Carlos Perrera, Director of Finance – KHMH
“At no time did I ever instruct Mr. Usher to purchase from any particular
person. As I mentioned I inherited all suppliers who submitted their price list
and to be reviewed by the purchasing officer thereafter.”
Specifically Perrera says there was no preferential treatment for the Orange
Walk based De la Fuente Pharmacy.
Adolph Lucas, Commission Chairman
“De La Fuente is the person who is paid the most, who get the most
business dollar wise with KHMH. Do you agree with that?”
Carlos Perrera,
“I agree with the numbers Commissioner, yes.”
Adolph Lucas,
“Isn’t that evidence of, I am going to say slight monopoly to
De La Fuente?”
Carlos Perrera,
“I will not agree with that Commissioner as I mentioned we go through
a procurement process, the purchasing officer does the price diligence and that
is determined on the supply. So I would not state that it would be in regards
to the value of the total amount of purchases.”
And that included fish and chicken. Perrera also denied instructing the supplies
manager to purchase those from vendors in Orange Walk Town.
Carlos Perrera,
“Let me get to the fish, the supplier continues to be Edmund Gough.
It would be ridiculous of my office to purchase fish from outside Belize City
limits. There is no time that myself, Carlos Perrera, Director of Finance for
KHMH, ordered fish from Mr. Gillett.”
Adolph Lucas,
“Mr. Carlos Perrera instructed me to buy from De La Fuente, MD Pharmacy,
Santiago Castillo Ltd and a few others that I can’t recall. Meat was from
Orange Walk, fish was also from Orange Walk, when Mr. Carlos Perrera took over.
What I gathered from him, I am talking about Carlton Usher, that was instruction
from Carlos Perrera. So you are denying that that is so?”
Carlos Perrera,
“I can prove that it is not so and I have documents with me on the
desk to prove such false misrepresentations on their part.”
Perrera also addressed the issue of overpayments to pharmaceutical suppliers,
one of which was $70,000 to Pharmaceutical Solutions. Perrera says the audit
report was wrong.
Carlos Perrera,
“All payments made by KHMH has and have to have a invoice attached
without question along with the receiving report, a quotation, and a purchase
order. The $70,000 is misleading because of not proper looking at the physical
supporting documents and he has confirmed such.”
Orvin Nicholas, Commissioner
“So it wasn’t an overpayment?”
Carlos Perrera,
“It is not an overpayment sir.”
Adolph Lucas,
“You are saying here the administration has initiated an investigation
as of the 16th November. That indicates to me that at that time, I am not stating
there was no documentation, it was not readily available to satisfy the auditors
that indeed there is no overpayment because why would you say that you investigate
as of 16th November. That is what you told us and you said in your memo dated
16th November 2009 at page 1 in paragraph three that the administration has
initiated investigation as of 16th November 2009. Why would you say so if all
was right at the time?”
Carlos Perrera,
“I would have said that just for us to be able to confirm if the documents
were not there commissioner but it did not mean that I said so because I was
sure the documents were not there.”
Tomorrow should be interesting as former KHMH Board Chairman Ricardo
Fabro, President of the Belize Medical and Dental Union John Sosa, and Dr. Jose
Guerra are scheduled to testify.
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