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Herald Reporter
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care has recommended that former Premier Services Medical Aid Society chief executive officer Dr Cuthbert Dube be prosecuted for misappropriating civil servants’ contributions.The committee comprises legislators from Zanu-PF and MDC-T.
Committee chairperson and MDC-T representative for Bulawayo province, Dr Ruth Labode yesterday said, “The committee notes that the decision of the PSMAS board to retire the CEO with possible benefits is not in the best interest of the public.
“The committee recommends that (Dr Dube) be prosecuted for theft and/or misappropriation of members’ funds. The committee notes with concern the challenges being faced by PSMAS members in accessing medical aid.”
Dr Dube was relieved of his duties after it emerged he was earning a basic monthly salary of US$230 000. Indications are that the package was agreed on by Dr Dube and PSMAS board chair Mrs Meisie Makeletso Namasasu — who has also left the board — as per “traditional” practice at the society.
Dr Labode added: “The committee also notes with concern the inter-linkages and recurrence of similar names like Cuthbert Dube and Mavis Gumbo in PSMAS, ZBC and Zifa, all being troubled institutions with reported gross abuse of public funds by top management.”
She said the committee was concerned that the out-going chairperson of the PSMAS board was a Government employee with the Finance Ministry and that she presided over “such immoral salary scales leaves a lot to be desired and Mrs Meisie Namasasu should be investigated and the job with the State reviewed if not recalled”.
The committee recommended a forensic audit of PSMAS and that future boards include representatives of civil servants and key health services providers.
Most PSMAS subscribers work for Government. Zanu-PF legislator for Chakari, Cde Aldrin Musiiwa, said civil servants must be allowed to choose service providers of their choice.
Chinhoyi MP Dr Peter Mataruse (MDC-T) said PSMAS remained viable as long as the dealings that have seen it accruing a US$38 million debt are dealt with.
Legal experts have said public officials who awarded themselves “monster” packages and run down public institutions should not only be sacked but prosecuted in terms of the new constitution.
There are indications that senior management packages at PSMAS, which have outraged Zimbabweans, appear to be in contravention of the new Constitution.
Chapter 9 of the Constitution (Principles of Public Administration and Leadership) deals holistically with the conduct expected of management of public institutions.
Chapter 9 Section 194 of the Constitution focuses on “Basic values and principles governing public administration”.
Subsections 1(a) and (b) expect: “a high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained; efficient and economical use of resources must be promoted.”
Section 195(1) demands that, “Companies and other commercial entities owned or wholly controlled by the State must, in addition to complying with principles set out in Section 194(1), conduct their operations so as to maintain commercial viability and abide by generally accepted standards of good corporate governance.”
Top management at PSMAS had salaries that gobbled almost US$1,1 million while the rest of the staff accounted for US$900 000.
Online Reporter