–Minister Teixeira calls for special investigation
THE Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), on Monday, called for a thorough investigation into an issue in 2019, when the Region Two administration received some $98 million in drugs and medical supplies after paying for $210 million worth of those essential supplies.

This matter came to light as the committee was reviewing the 2019 Auditor General’s report for Region Two, where it stated that an inter-departmental warrant for some $210.180 million was issued to the then Ministry of Public Health for the procurement of drugs and medical supplies on behalf of the regional administration.

The report further noted that a financial return was received that indicated the entire amount was expended, however, a statement of reconciliation which was received from the Ministry’s Materials Management Unit in 2020 reflected the cost of the deliveries as some $98.594 million with no mention of the remaining balance.

Concerns were raised immediately by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, who questioned whether the outstanding drugs or medical supplies to the tune of $111 million were received in subsequent years.

It was then that the current Regional Executive Officer of Region Two, Susannah Saywack indicated that it is still outstanding.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill noted that the supplies received in 2019 account for less than 50 per cent of what was warranted and as such enquired as to whether there was a shortage of drugs in the region at the time.

“If you budget for $210 million in drugs in the region and you only got $98 million then you have a shortfall,” he said.
He added: “The region is saying that they received $98 million, the Auditor General is confirming that which is less than 50 per cent of what was warranted.

There are two issues here, if the region required to service its population based upon its drug list and population that is used to make up your budget of what is to be required is $210 [million] and you get less than 50 per cent was there a shortage in the region of drugs and medical supplies because you got less than half and if there was no shortage, it meant you over budgeted.”

The REO, in response, said that based on information provided to her, drugs and medical supplies amounting to $98.5 million is what they can account for, for the year 2019.
Against this backdrop, Minister Teixeira said that this issue with the reconciliation of warrants and supplies is one that has repeated itself, and as such called for a special investigation into this matter that has been repeated in several other regions.

“I think the Auditor General needs to do an investigation into the regions where this occurred not just Region Two,” she said.
Further, she mentioned that the Ministry of Health, the Finance Secretary and other agencies should be part of this investigation.