Penn denies removing previous BVIHSA chair
Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn has denied claims that he was solely responsible for removing Moleto Smith as Chairman of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) back in 2023.
Penn’s denial follows accusations from Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, who suggested in the House of Assembly that Penn was guilty of removing Smith just as Opposition members accused the government of attempting to remove the current BVIHSA Chairman.
Addressing the issue on the Talking Points show recently, Penn insisted that the decision to remove Smith was a collective one made by the Cabinet, not an individual action.
“I didn’t remove Moleto Smith. The Cabinet removed Moleto Smith, which the Premier, [Kye] Rymer, and the Minister of Education were part of in that process,” Penn explained. He added that the Cabinet unanimously agreed to the decision, suggesting there was consensus on Smith’s removal back then.
Penn’s comments follow confirmed reports that Health Minister Vincent Wheatley asked current Chairman Ron Potter to resign via a WhatsApp message.
Sacking Smith was collaborative
Penn stressed that the removal of Smith as Chairman was done in collaboration with others. He explained that there were discussions and evaluations before the final decision. The former Health Minister also indicated that he could not disclose details due to the confidentiality of Cabinet proceedings. However, he maintained that the decision was not his alone. “It went through Cabinet in flying colours,” he added.
In defending the actions taken during his tenure as Health Minister, Penn pointed out that the BVIHSA Board, under Potter’s leadership, had put forth a comprehensive plan for self-sufficiency. This plan included a long-term vision to reach a break-even point, aimed at reducing the financial burden on the government. Despite this, he suggested that the government’s recent criticism of Potter might be politically motivated.
Penn also addressed the administration’s handling of the BVIHSA. He argued that the government is attempting to use Potter as a “scapegoat” for the health sector’s financial issues. “All it is, the minister is under tremendous pressure. He needs a scapegoat. And he finds the perfect scapegoat in Ron Potter,” Penn said.
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Then how did this present one get there. ? The position wasn’t vacant when you got that short term power….That’s the Type of decision that drove HSA and the country backwards. Rosy Crandals on that Board. She is more qualified than him to be Chair.
Why are you debating on personalities? Challenge on the things that matter. He says that there is a plan, challenge him on that.
THROW THEM ALL UNDER THE BUS YES
is saying )> no no no A me alone tek E out
Smurf you know you CAPPING.
You still had a hand in it what your point .
If you had any sense you would have seen the point.
The Premier should have told us Cabinet removed Mr. Smith!
Just like the Premier told us Cabinet will meet to discuss the removable of Mr. Potter!
The Premier l**d to us goofy!
Hon Penn, if you explaining, spinning, etc you are losing. Take a seat and focus on the important needs, ie, accesible, affordable, quality healthcare, especially for the sister islands. You not behaving like Premier material; something you want so bad. It was this motivation, no compromise, why you are a member of opposition today. By the way, you were out of your depth as Health Minister.. Being Premier is more than voting on bills brought to the HoA; it entails strong exemplary leadership and management, representing. Leadership is behavioral, humility, civility, etc..Too many of our elected and appointed officials lacked these qualities. There is dearth of skilled, experienced, political talent. Where has the talented class gone? Did the talent class fail to properly mentor the next generation of leaders? Is education being pushed as the substitute for experience leadership? It should not. National hero Hamilton Lavity Stoutt didn’t have the alphabet soup of letters before or after his name but he has positively left his mark on the landscape.
Pure s**t you type there! Strupessssssss
@Bush Professor, it seems like the dog that got hit from rock fling after a pack of wild dogs and ran away hollering. You know the sound. Ok. You say I’m talking $….t. Well let us hear what you got to say about the things I said. Let the readers decide. I bet you don’t have the courage to say anything. Pollo, pollo, pollo.