PAC pushes for stronger sanctions after UHWI chief skips parliamentary hearing twice

Members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) are demanding tougher sanctions and the removal of University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) chief executive officer Fitzgerald Mitchell after he failed to appear before the panel on two separate occasions.

Mitchell was first asked, and later formally summoned, to give evidence on findings in the Auditor General's report that outlined several procurement breaches at the hospital. His repeated absence has been ruled contempt of Parliament, and committee members argue the offence warrants a penalty far beyond what current law allows.

The dispute traces back to April, when the PAC requested testimony from three senior figures linked to the institution: Mitchell, his predecessor Kevin Allen, and former board chairman Wayne Chai Chong. Allen and Chai Chong have since attended; Mitchell has not.

After he missed the initial hearing, the committee escalated the matter with a summons for him to appear on Tuesday. He again failed to show, and members say he offered no explanation in writing or through legal counsel.

Committee members condemned the conduct as an affront to parliamentary oversight. One member described the behaviour as outrageous and unacceptable, warning that allowing it to stand would render PAC sessions meaningless and signal that senior officials can defy accountability with impunity.

Under the Senate and House of Representatives Powers and Privileges Act, Mitchell has been found to have committed an offence and is now in contempt of Parliament. Sections 18A and 18B set a fine of 200 Jamaican dollars for disobeying orders to attend or produce documents. PAC members say that sum is inadequate and that the legislation is outdated and needs urgent review.

One member warned that without reform, officials could treat a PAC summons as a minor inconvenience, pay the fine, and move on. Another argued that a public servant showing such contempt should resign immediately or be removed by the authorities empowered to do so.

Mitchell has been with UHWI for more than 27 years and was appointed chief executive officer in 2024 after serving two years in an acting role.