Questions that still deserve answers

I was going to leave the KCHC and CHCC issue alone and wait to see what the CHCC board was going to do until I read a letter about “moving on and stopping the finger pointing.” I respect everyone’s opinion and hopefully it will be reciprocal but I beg to disagree with just letting this all go and moving on, like nothing ever happened. Yes, some may want to just let it go but there are others who want and even demand to see some accountability. Heck, regular folks are held accountable for all kinds of things, so why can’t people in power be held accountable? To say that no one should be held accountable for something of the magnitude that adversely affected people’s healthcare in what happened with the KCHC is ludicrous. Most people expect the government to make sure someone is held accountable and that nothing like this ever happens again in any form. The clinic is back in operation at their building but much of the resources have be taken, so the dilemma is only halfway resolved.

Yes, it was embarrassing for the KCHC to be locked and closed after Muña and CHCC board promised to work with KCHC for a smooth transition. They lied! There are some hard questions that still need to be answered as they are important oversight questions for accountability in assigning blame for the mistake(s), error, or omission that caused the fiasco. If the feds were willing to give KCHC sole authority over the grant, then certainly they would have to be willing to work with CHCC and KCHC in transferring the resources but that was never an option for Muña. So are we supposed to be stupid and just ignore this when us regular folks are held accountable for our oversights in all walks of life everyday and even be subjected to being fired, fines and jail time.

Did Muña or any board member ever ask or inform the feds (grant source) about what had taken place and for their input before taking action to lock the KCHC? To this day we have yet to hear anything the feds had to say about how this was handled.

What are the resources taken from KCHC that are being used now at CHCC, if they are even being used? Is there a plan to return the resources to the KCHC?

Why was Muña using KCHC’s funding for CHCC bills not related to KCHC?

Does CHCC owe KCHC for the use of their funds and should be reimbursed?

What, if anything, is the CHCC board going to do about Muña’s decision and ability to continue as the CEO, given the AG’s opinion that the closing of KCHC could have been avoided?

Is there other evidence of Muña displaying retaliation and vindictiveness at CHCC in her relationship with staff, especially nurses and doctors?

Is Muña really moving CHCC forward under her leadership? There have been concerns for years that our hospital is just barely maintaining and can’t keep doctors and basic things like blankets and pillows. Hopefully, the evaluation of Muña will address this critical question that will have a significant effect on the future of healthcare in the CNMI.

These are not questions to be washed under the rug, never to be asked and answered. The CHCC board failed in their due diligence in the KCHC matter as stated by the AG but, hopefully, they will perform more admirably in their evaluation of Muña.

Ambrose M. Bennett
Kagman, Saipan