By Sue-Ann Wayow
PRINCIPAL Medical Officer of Institutions in the Ministry of Health Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards could be compromising the management of Covid-19 by possibly not devoting enough time to the issue now that she has three state appointments.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar questioned the doctor’s recent appointment to the Angostura board that became effective on November 16.
Referring to Dr Abdool-Richards, she said, “This person is a tool of the Government and a favoured one, at that.”
Speaking at the United National Congress UNC virtual report on Monday, Persad-Bissessar reiterated that independent institutions should not be politically compromised and asked if Dr Abdool-Richards has been favoured by the Government.
The Opposition Leader called upon Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to state why Dr Abdool-Richards was selected for such post.
The PMO who has a regular appearance at the Ministry of Health’s tri-weekly press conferences is also a board member of the National Insurance and Property Development Company (NIPDEC).
Persad-Bissessar said, “This is her third State Board appointment. Let us understand what that means. It is not only about her misuse of her time and concentration because she should be focusing on the Covid disaster, given her key professional role in the health sector. It is not only about her amassing more and more taxpayer dollars with these very questionable appointments.”
As PMO, Dr Abdool-Richards was bound by the Public Service Regulations, which mandated that she be a non-political, a separation crucial to the Republican Constitution, Persad-Bissessar said.
She said, “Now the PMO has three other jobs to do and the health sector is in crisis. PMO, Dr Richards, has three jobs to execute Government policy on these three State Boards. So how can she be politically independent in the provision of Health, but at the same earning income and doing what implementing Government policy on three State Boards? How can you do it?”
Taking a jab at Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh who is also the Member of Parliament for St Joseph, Persad-Bissessar said Deyalsingh should “watch out” because she can replace him as the St Joseph candidate for the People’s National Movement PNM in the next general election.
At the Ministry of Health’s press conference on Monday, Deyalsingh was asked about Dr Abdool-Richards appointment.
He said, “I have been advised that public service regulations do not debar a public officer from taking up a board appointment as long as the appointee can perform their duty and that has been advised to me by the Public Service.”
See related story below:
No Conflict with Abdool-Richards on Angostura Board – Deyalsingh
