It’s been an interesting week for NICH President Sapnah Budhrani.  She was ordered to go on administrative leave by Cabinet over concerns about an internal audit - which pointed to many irregularities under her brief tenure.

It was a putdown for Culture Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber - who personally vouched for Budhrani and even equated her integrity with his own - which, apparently, didn’t amount to much more than a hill of beans for his Cabinet colleagues.  

But things have taken an unexpected turn; it seems Budhrani hasn’t gone on any leave - she was front row at a press conference today - as NICH President with her board and Directors dutifully falling in line. 7News was at the event - and Jules Vasquez has the story:…

For a woman who's supposedly been suspended by Cabinet directive, NICH President Sapna Budhrani looked relatively at ease today, sitting - perhaps defiantly- as NICH President backed by her full NICH board - and all the directors.

They held the press conference at the Marion Jones conference room - a long way from NICH, making it seem almost like a board in exile.

Steve Perrera - NICH Board Member, Finance Subcmte
"The board of directors and the director so forth various department unanimously decided to have this press conference to responds to the attacks that have been made by some of the media houses against the institution and the president of NICH and also to say on behalf of the board of directors and the directors of the various departments that the president enjoys their support

And those attacks have centered on this draft quarterly audit compiled by internal auditor Roberto Matus - which multiple board members made it clear today - has many errors and gaps:

Steve Perrera
"We will also see to it that the internal auditor concludes his report and corrections to the inaccuracies that it currently contains."

Roosevelt Blades - Board Member
"We followed due process and we asked the internal auditor to present his report to the board and the management team which should have taken place before that report is signed off on. It took us about 9 hours that we went through the entire report line by line and in that meeting and we have minutes of that meeting - he acknowledged where he erred and he said he would make those changes."

Reporter
"So why is he not here?"

Roosevelt Blades
"The reports are going to show of that meeting that he was asked and he was told that when this comes to light we're going to have a press conference and he would have to face the media and he refused."

Their internal auditor - Roberto Matus - hired in 2014 is trained in theology, not finance:

Sapna Budhrani - NICH President
"At that time or around that time he was pursuing a Bachelor's in theology. He was given the position as internal auditor with the offer being that you need to pursue your education in accounting, Bachelor's in either accounting or in a field of finance. That has since not been done."

Reporter
"Why do you have someone who you say is not qualified conducting your internal audits?"

Roosevelt Blades
"Our first meeting there was a subcommittee that deal with human resource issues and that matter was raised to the board with regards to the qualifications of the internal auditor and to be honest with you, the file shows that he was supposed to acquire the necessary skill set pertaining to the job. He was asked, he was given an opportunity, another opportunity by the board to get the necessary studies because we believe that it is only fair if you're running an institution that you want to build capacity within the institution, within the different fields and NICH has done that for several other employees and so he was asked in a sub-committee meeting to please ensure and he gave us that assurance that he would have enrolled in a program and to get the necessary accreditation that he needed to perform his duties but we were made to understand now that he has not done any of that."

And while he wasn’t there to defend himself or his audit, the Associate Director of Finance gave a presentations to show that NICH is in the black this year and that expenses are down - when compared to last year.

And while the bottom line is much better than last year's - what intrigues is the political calculus of the event - here’s the sitting president - in what would appear to be open defiance of a Cabinet directive, along with her board, publicly pushing back against the maximum political leadership:

Reporter
"It has been reported that you have been placed on administrative leave pending an external audit. Are you still on active duty at NICH?"

Sapna Budhrani
"I am currently the President of NICH, whether I am on administrative leave or not, the letter has not arrived at my home or my address."

Reporter
"Is this then perhaps defiance of that cabinet position?"

Sapna Budhrani
"Thank you for your question. I wouldn't be able to speak on behalf of cabinet however based on the presentation made today it would be clear that our financial status is well. I was not given an opportunity to speak in cabinet and all the information that was out there may have misled some."

And that was an oft-repeated chorus today - Cabinet got it all wrong - and this seems to be an event calculated to flout Cabinet’s authority and judgement - while saying the opposite:

Roosevelt Blades
"We're here to say to you that the information that you're, the information that was presented to the cabinet for them to make their decision was inaccurate. We want to set the record straight, that's all we're doing, we're not defying anybody, we cannot defy the cabinet, and they are the maximum authority of this country. We respect the Prime Minister and we respect the cabinet. No defiance here, we're just setting the record clear, that's all."

Reporter
"Understand that the cabinet instructed that she be placed on administrative leave. So if she's not now placed on administrative leave, then that is a defiance of the cabinet's instructions"

Roosevelt Blades
"Yes but the cabinet gave instructions not to the board, the cabinet gave instructions in cabinet..."

Reporter
"To the Deputy Prime Minister who is the head of NICH."

Roosevelt Blades
"Yes so we are here presenting our side of the story. We're not defying anybody and our position a decision was made on this institution based on information that was not accurate and that we believe is unjust and unfair to the institution."

And also perhaps unfair to the President who’s only been in office since April - perhaps because of her differences with Music Ambassador and Prime Ministerial son Shyne Barrow:

Sapna Budhrani
"Do you feel you have been targeted by the son of the Prime Minister Shyne? Because I know there has been some evidence leaked that you queried him in regards to the spending of some of his finances - I think it was 35 thousand and do you feel that all this because he has led the charge basically against you; do you feel that he's targeting you?

Sapna Budhrani
"You know that's a question that the media houses could help me answer if you would advise me who leaked the documents that would be one that would be helpful to us and in in our investigation."

But even though she is, perhaps, being railroaded by forces far greater than her office, this President says she’s undaunted:

Sapna Budhrani
"And it has only made me stronger as a person, as an institution we're only stronger together. It has united us and we believe that it's an experience,  a learning experience. For me it's an inspiration to write a book about women in power and one that is young and one that is criticized for being maybe not Belizean but I am born Belizean. So maybe I'll be inspired to write a book on being a Belizean in power at a young age."

We did try to reach internal auditor Roberto Matus for his comment today - but he declined comment pending advice on how to move forward.  We note that external auditor Mark Hulse was at the event - apparently in support of the Board’s position.

As mentioned in the story - President Budhrani says she has gotten no notice of being placed on administrative leave.  We don’t know what the regular channels for such a directive would be, and what the end game in this case is… but some sources suggest that Deputy PM Faber may be waiting out the Prime Minister.  Information says that the PM is scheduled to leave the country on Saturday for three weeks to treat his back, and Faber would take over as acting PM - and head of Cabinet - during that period.  That is unconfirmed, but we will wait and see.