Chong: Tufton’s intervention left UHWI board powerless

Wayne Chai Chong, former chairman of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), said his 2023 resignation was triggered by Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton’s move to overrule the board’s decision to appoint a new acting chief executive officer.

Chong told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday that the minister’s action left the board powerless, and as such, he had no choice but to step down.

“It is my understanding that the minister called a meeting of the hospital’s senior staff and indicated that the previous acting CEO’s appointment was being renewed,” Chong said.

“I felt that if the board had taken a decision which is one of the most critical decisions that a board has to make as to the position of the CEO, and if that decision is being overturned, then, in essence, the board is being told that it has no power,” he explained.

The former chairman contended that he was not willing to continue serving where decisions of the board could be overturned without any kind of consultation.

At the time of the controversy, Tufton dissolved the board, citing a clash of “personalities and dysfunctionality”.

Discussing why the board made the decision not to extend the appointment of the then acting CEO, Chong said that in November 2023, the extended period for the acting CEO was about to expire.

He said the board was advised by the human resource and legal teams of the hospital that if the acting appointment was extended further, the board could be challenged by the acting CEO to make the appointment permanent.

Based on the advice received, another senior director of the UHWI was appointed by the board to act as CEO.

However, the day after the board announced the appointment of the new acting CEO, Tufton overturned the board’s decision and reappointed the previous acting CEO. Chong said this led to his resignation and that of the deputy chairman.

In his submission, Chong said the board had decided that the UHWI needed a leader who could change the course of the institution over a three-year period.

The board approved contracting of a human resource professional to conduct a search for a permanent CEO. Chong said 90 persons applied for the job from overseas and locally.

He said many of the persons who applied had significant experience in hospital management.  A short list of six persons was prepared, and the board added the acting CEO, increasing the number to seven.

An interview panel selected from the board, and guided by the HR professional, conducted interviews remotely., Aa single candidate from overseas was unanimously selected.

The selected candidate was invited to the country for final due diligence and for signing of a contract of employment. The candidate reportedly met with major stakeholders and the majority of the hospital’s senior management, and the feedback was positive.

However, before the selected candidate signed the contract, the individual wanted assurances from the board that the governance conflict with the senior director of clinical services would be resolved at the time of appointment. Chong said without that situation being resolved, the candidate did not believe that she would be able to effectively carry out her mandate.

The governance conflict played out in a situation where the senior director of clinical services is was a member of the board while the CEO, who does not have a seat on the board, reported to the board.

The Hospital Act states that the senior director of clinical services is to be a full- time employee of the hospital. All full-time employees report to the CEO, who is held accountable by the board.

Chong noted that the problem was further exacerbated as the senior director of clinical services insisted that he reported to the board and not to the CEO. He said that that assertion was not accepted by the board. 

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com