Today was a big day at the corruption inquiry into the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Three major witnesses testified before the three member commission starting with Dr. Jose Guerra – the obstetrician who does business with the hospital followed by Dr. John Sosa – the firebrand leader of the Belize Medical and Dental Union. The day was rounded out by the deposed Board Chairman Dr. Ricardo Fabro. With that all star lineup you would expect there would be fireworks but as Keith Swift reports, there was little.

Keith Swift Reporting,
Immediately after taking the oath, a visibly uneasy KHMH Chairman Ricardo Fabro flanked by his attorney Leo Bradley sat in the hot seat – where he was hammered about his wife’s company which got a $700,000 contract with the Ministry of Health. He says it was his wife’s company – not his.

Adolph Lucas, Commission Chairman
“Are you or were you affiliated with a business named MC Pharmaceutical?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro, KHMH Chairman
“MC Pharmaceutical is a sole proprietorship business registered to my wife.”

Julia Castillo, Commission
“How long has MC Pharmaceutical been involved in the tendering process with the Ministry of Health?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“It was just that one time in April 2008 to March of 2008. If you want to relate that involvement with my wife to myself that is far as it goes. I’ve said it was registered to my wife. My wife is signing as supplier, the contract is clear, I don’t know how they can mix up assumptions.”

Orvin Nicholas, Commissioner
“How do you separate yourself, your wife being a part of a company and you as the Chairman of the KHMH when it comes to advice, when it comes to decision making? How do you draw that thin line between benefits being accruing to your family and benefits accruing to the institution?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“I think they are two separate issues.”

Orvin Nicholas,
“Can you separate it?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“I have always separated them.”

But later that line was blurred when “her company” became “our company” as Fabro addressed the issue of defective supplies KHMH bought from MC Pharmaceuticals. Remember minutes earlier he told the commission he had no active participation in his wife’s company. Well later he changed that to “we.”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“The company had some complaints from different institutions, basically Karl Heusner and Belmopan, nothing was even in writing but we responded because I was shown by my wife and I saw that it was defective. My wife showed me and I told her yes that they are defective. So we basically wanted to pull it out and to replace it with some other ones from Mexico. We were accepting responsibility.”

But Fabro refused to take responsibility for any wrongdoing. He says he never told anyone to choose suppliers from orange walk and he says that he was forced to step aside as board chairman on base-less allegations.

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“I don’t deal with supplies. I gave no such directive to Mr. Knowles and I think the evidence shows that not to be so. We had over 22 suppliers supplying various types of supplies to KHMH for various amounts. So I refute that and the evidence also refutes that. We never summoned Carlton Usher to any meeting…that I can’t recall.”

Adolph Lucas,
“It could happen but you don’t recall?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“Mostly likely it didn’t happen but I don’t recall.”

Adolph Lucas,
“Why are you not physically the Chairman or active as the Chairman of KHMH? Do you attend meetings? Do you chair the meetings?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“Yes until July, I think.”

Adolph Lucas,
“But the question is why you were suspended or stopped?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“I will put it this way, I recused myself because of all the allegations of improprieties. The doctors apparently wanted for me to get removed as Chairman. I thought their allegations were just that, allegations without any evidence.”

Adolph Lucas,
“What was the allegation?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“That they have been saying that there are improprieties.”

Adolph Lucas,
“Like what?”

Dr. Ricardo Fabro,
“With the purchasing of supplies and I guess we as the board were coerced to act because of the pressures of the public opinion that might have been against us. So to quell that situation I basically chose to recuse myself.”

Those allegations came from the Belize Medical and Dental Union led by President John Sosa. He told the commission why doctors brought the KHMH to the brink.

Dr. John Sosa, President - Medical and Dental Union
“We started to get reports and get invoices of prices that were not the best price and because of all the shortages that we have had at KHMH prior, we said that why are we paying so much for something when we need that money to spread because money is in short supply and we need to get medicine and supplies for our patients.

It is unfortunate that I ask for things every week. If you go in the wards and you’ll ask the nurses, every week they will out a requisition book and they only get half of what they fill out. That is a fact of life.”

Another fact is that doctors do business with the hospital. Obstetrician Jose Guerra is one of them. He told the commission that while he is part owner in Pharmabiz International, it is his business partner who did the actual business with the KHMH. Dr. Sosa says that while it isn’t disallowed – it is improper.

Dr. John Sosa,
“Unfortunately the Act says nothing about doctors who just work at the hospital. So ethically it must seem wrong but legally it is not wrong.”

Orvin Nicholas,
“How do you view that situation?”

Dr. John Sosa,
“Personally I wouldn’t sell nothing to the hospital.”

Orvin Nicholas,
“So as far as you are concerned, it is a conflict of interest?”

Dr. John Sosa,
“I wouldn’t take it as a conflict of interest, I would take it as unethical.”

And though the big names took center stage today, they were quickly disposed of; the session ran for only an hour and a half. The hearings are winding down and they continue tomorrow with three witnesses: Merlene Myvett from the Central Sterilization Unit, Miriam Coleman from the Dietary Unit and Dr. Francis Gary Longsworth – the Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.