HSA: A NEW BOARD, A NEW ERA

By Staff Writer

In what is seen as a major step to move the embattled Health Services Agency (HSA) beyond a wave of controversies that have beset the agency, Hon. Minister for Health Katherine Ebanks-Wilks on Friday made two announcements intended to set the organisation on a new footing.

In place of the standard press release, the health Minister instead called a press conference to introduce the new board that will oversee the HSA. The appointment of the new board follows the resignation of four members of the previous board in the midst of a swirl of issues besetting the HSA.  At the same time, the health Minister addressed a comprehensive audit for which the accounting firm KPMG has been commissioned “aimed at strengthening accountability, transparency, and public confidence” in the national health institution. That independent review, commissioned in December, began on January 12th and is expected to submit its findings and recommendations in 10 weeks.

CHALLENGES

A government statement accompanying Friday’s announcement said that the KPMG review further supports reform efforts, which began last year with the announced transition of the HSA Board’s remuneration to a fixed monthly structure effective 1 December 2025.

“This audit is not intended to be punitive, Min. Ebanks-Wilks stated, “but it is meant to provide us with a clear understanding of what is working, what needs improvement, and what needs to change.”

Speaking in very direct terms on Friday, she highlighted the scale of the challenges facing the HSA and pledged sweeping reforms if that’s what it takes.

“Far too long, successive governments have spoken about accountability at HSA while avoiding the hard questions,” she asserted. “Why do reports sit unimplemented? Why do structural or systematic problems persist across administrations, and what are the root causes of these issues? What in the governance structure between ministry, board and management is working well, and what needs to change? We need accountability and transparency,” she asked.

In very strident tones, Min. Ebanks Wilks stressed her hands-on approach to resolving the problems that have left the HSA in a critical state.

“I’m here today because I refuse to continue that pattern, and I have the full support of my NCFC (National Coalition For Caymanians) colleagues, because they, too, refuse to continue that pattern. The KPMG audit will examine these questions directly, and I commit to acting on what we learn, even if those actions are politically uncomfortable.”

Doubling down on the urgency of the situation, Min. Ebanks-Wilks continued:

“I’ve witnessed both the dedication of our healthcare workers and also the frustrations of a system stretched beyond its capacity. When I accepted this role as Minister for Health, I did so knowing that incremental adjustments simply would not be enough. Real change requires courage, the courage to examine ourselves honestly, to acknowledge uncomfortable truths and to act decisively, even when it’s difficult.”

IMPORTANCE OF HSA

She described the HSA as ‘uniquely placed within our healthcare landscape because of its long-standing role as the nation’s main healthcare provider’.

However, according to the health Minister, Cayman’s healthcare landscape has significantly changed over the past 10 to 15 years. She said the time has now come to ‘revisit and redefine’ to fine-tune HSA’s role within Cayman’s current context.

“Make no mistake, HSA’s success is imperative for a thriving, resilient, accessible, national health care system,” she added. “As the current Minister for Health, I’m working on rectifying legacy issues that long predate my appointment. We know that issues relating to health care are not unique to Cayman.”

And she gave this further commitment: “I have assured the board, as I assure you now, that I am prepared to make difficult decisions that prioritise the health of our nation above political convenience.”

NEW BOARD, OLD PROBLEMS

Chairman  of the newly-installed board, lawyer Timothy Ridley, who had served on the HSA board in the early 2000s, made this observation: “Many of the problems that the HSA had back in 2000 when it was first created still exist today, notwithstanding mighty struggles by the hospitalist staff, medical staff and administrative staff, because the Cayman Islands has grown, as we know, dramatically in terms of size of population.”

Mr Ridley, who will initially serve until the end of this year on the new board, also gave this commitment.

“We move forward together and make the HSA what we all want it to be, and we recognise that faults have been made in the past. Faults may well be made in the future, but all we can do is use our best endeavours and to be honest about it, and to report the minister, and so the minister can report to the voting population and the resident population of these islands.”

Other board members are HSA’s Dr Neely Panton, financial services expert Michelle Coleman, and senior paralegal Petrina Moore - all of whom served on the last HSA board. They are joined by banker Omari Corbin, telecoms expert Peter Spratt and attorney Buck Grizzel.

Regarding the ongoing KPMG review, Min. Ebanks-Wilks gave this assurance: “I give my commitment to you today that I will not only be sharing the entire findings of the KPMG report with the public, but that I am committed to providing clear and consistent communication about the recommendations, the plans for implementation, and its progress.”