Chief Minister gives his views on

Dr. Gill’s future in the BVI

Chief Minister Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith has decided to give his government’s views on the “much talked about” question of Dr. Vanessa Gill’s licence.

In a televised address Dr. Smith said that a “number of falsehoods and distortions have been spread by those who are looking to score political points and create a climate of instability.”

In recent month’s Leader of the Opposition Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal has been vocal about Dr. Gill’s licence renewal and radio talk shows have seen a revival of their popularity even though it is not an election year.

The Chief Minister said that he is glad that there is debate on this issue: “I have followed the various talk shows with interest and am happy that thanks to my government’s policy of freedom of speech, our people at least feel free to express their views.”

Dr. Smith exhorted the people to avoid extreme language and make every effort to base opinions on the facts. With freedom comes responsiblity, he said.

According to Dr. the Hon. Orlando Smith, Dr. Gill’s contract was renewed four times although under normal circumstances “no more than two contract extensions are permitted.”.  In the year 2000 she was given permission to establish a private practice until 21 August 2004 “for as long as she remained in the employ of government.”

Dr. Smith disclosed that Dr. Gill did not appeal through the appropriate channels, “instead the case was taken on by the media and Opposition even before the Minister of Health had received her request to engage in private practice or had a chance to respond.”

“If she truly had the best interests of her patients at heart, then why didn’t she make an appeal to government to continue to serve them? Why didn’t she work through appropriate channels?”

PRESS STATEMENT BY CHIEF MINISTER DR. ORLANDO SMITH

17 AUGUST, 2004

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Chief Minister, Dr. Orlando Smith.

From day one, my Government has put healthcare at the top of its agenda. We made a commitment to the people of our Territory to make quality healthcare available to all and we are living up to that commitment. The hospital annex continues to be built and will soon be open for patients. Our budget provides new money for clinics in all the Sister Islands. More importantly, we are strongly supporting young BVIslanders who are studying medicine and other healthcare disciplines in leading universities around the world.

Part of this commitment to healthcare also means respecting and defending the integrity of our system. It is in this light that we have addressed the issue of the future of Dr. Vanessa Gill.

The question of Dr. Gill’s future has become the source of much talk in recent days. A number of falsehoods and distortions have been spread by those who are looking to score political points and create a climate of instability. So I want to use this opportunity to present the facts and set the record straight.

 First, let me say that I am glad that this debate is happening. I have followed the various talk shows with interest and am happy that thanks to my Government’s policy of freedom of speech, our people at last feel free to express their views. This kind of open and free discussion is what democracy is all about. So I encourage you to continue to speak freely on this and any issue.

But with this freedom comes responsibility, as well. We must all take care to avoid extreme language and we must make every effort to base our positions on the facts. 

Now, these are the facts of this case:  Around 1996, in fact during my term as Director of Medical Services, Dr Heskith Vanterpool, who at the time served as internist at the Hospital decided to develop his private practice. Dr. Gill was recruited to replace Dr. Vanterpool. Since then the previous Government saw it fit to renew Dr. Gill’s contract four times. To be clear, Government policy states that in such situations no more than two contract extensions are permitted. This then means that Dr. Gill has already been the beneficiary of special treatment.

Earlier this year the Minister for Health was advised that the unit of internal medicine at Peebles Hospital was significantly overstaffed by qualified internists, to the point where the services of these specialists were grossly underutilized. Dr. Gill’s contract was due to expire shortly.

Furthermore, Dr. Gill requested that she be placed on the permanent and pensionable establishment.  In the circumstances it was recommended by the Chief of Staff that her contract not be renewed and this recommendation was accepted. It was as simple as that.

I must make it clear that the Chief of Staff, Dr Vanterpool, was in no position to make a recommendation beyond Dr. Gill’s future at the Hospital.  In the year 2000 the then Minister of Health with the concurrence of Executive Council gave Dr. Gill permission to establish a private practice until 21^st August 2004 for as long as she remained in the employ of Government.  The current Minister saw no need to change this decision and has my full support in this matter.

Contrary to what has been said by persons who know better, there are three fully qualified internists at Peebles Hospital alone, excluding Dr Gill. All of these internists are professionals with proven track records. They have all saved the lives of many patients, for indeed that is what they are trained to do and what they are paid to do.

I have no doubt that Dr. Gill is also a qualified and competent clinician. Being a qualified doctor does not give anyone the right to any special privileges. In medicine, competence and skill are not something to be loudly celebrated––they are a basic expectation when a patient’s well being is on the line. Those who speak as if Dr. Gill is the only internist in our Territory who has saved a life are clearly exposing their true motivation for such talk, which is plainly political. Having disregard for those many people who have been helped by other doctors and for those who have helped them.

Now, I am not going to hide from the fact that Dr Vanterpool is my brother-in-law but like everyone else, Dr. Vanterpool went through Government’s hiring process and was successful.  I am proud of his accomplishments as a British Virgin Islander. When Dr. Davies, my cousin, ended his tour as Chief of Staff, we were all pleased and proud that another British Virgin Islander could take up this important position. 

There are a couple of points I want to make on this matter: Firstly, with a population of just over 20,000 people, it is impossible to find a situation where professionals are not related and I would dare any one to tell me anything to the contrary.

Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, I will not stand by and see this matter turn into one where responsible BV Islanders are hurling insults at BV Islanders who were not born in the British Virgin Islands.  This kind of self-destructive behaviour has to stop and stop now!  The British Virgin Islands cannot afford to tear itself apart through the incendiary comments of a few people who know better.

I must say that at no time did Dr. Gill appeal through the appropriate channels, nor did she speak to any member of my Government on the matter.

Instead, the case was taken on by the media and opposition even before the Minister of Health had received her request to engage in private practice or had a chance to respond.

Why was this path chosen? If she truly had the best interests of her patients at heart, then why didn’t she make an appeal to Government to continue to serve them? Why didn’t she work through appropriate channels?

Ladies and gentlemen, I continue to monitor this situation and I will be responding to the leader of the Opposition, who wrote to me last Monday. Above all else, we will continue to lead toward a stronger healthcare system for all. That has been our pledge since we were elected. That is what we have been focused on ever since and that is what we will continue to do moving forward.