The former Health Minister defends “hierarchy” within the administration and acknowledges that Ana María Pérez did not act without reason.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Mar. 31 (Europa Press) –
The former Health Minister of the Government of the Canary Islands, Teresa Cruz, stated on Monday that her termination was “unjust” and reiterated once more, as she mentioned in the Senate, that the former director of the Canarian Health Service (SCS), Conrado Domínguez, “is not an effective manager” due to his lack of “rigour.”
In her remarks before the Investigative Committee of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, she referenced “Acts” such as the ‘Rahlons’ case, a “fabricated” OPE with numerous worker complaints, and a hospital in southern Tenerife that had “significant deficiencies.”
She even mentioned that she was uncertain about who appointed Conrado Domínguez as coordinator of the Management Committee, citing that the Government comprised four political forces.
Cruz remarked that since her appointment, she faced “intense scrutiny” from the media that suggested she was unqualified for her role, particularly from a government member – in reference to Vice-President Román Rodríguez – whom she did not favour.
Even when questioned by the nationalist group, she requested permission from the Commission presidency not to comment on a radio interview in which she alleged that Rodríguez was subjected to workplace harassment within the Executive.
Cruz defended the “hierarchy” within public administration and clarified that although Ana María Pérez, the director of Economic Resources of the SCS, was responsible for procurement, she had “direct contact” with her, and daily reports were provided.
“What is certain is that if I were in that position, if Ana María fails, I fail; if Conrado fails, I fail,” she summarised, although she refrained from evaluating potential political accountability for the unsuccessful material contracts.
Nonetheless, she noted that she did not experience pressure to hire certain companies and that the former Canarian President, Ángel Víctor Torres, “never” instructed her to close contracts with any specific firm.
Cruz lamented the deficiency of resources to tackle the initial days of the pandemic on the islands as there was “chaos” and “things were not managed well,” although she praised her team’s “absolute commitment” and the belief that they did “everything” necessary since the “priority” at that time was “saving lives.”
Resource Shortages in the Ministry
Indeed, she characterised the structure of the Ministry, which was excessive in favour of the SCS, as “Pírica” and criticised the lack of support from other governmental departments to manage a crisis under that framework.
“I created projections in my office to illustrate the pandemic’s trajectory, albeit in a makeshift manner,” she recalled.
She indicated that she spent eight months in charge of the Ministry and was dismissed on March 25 for “the general interest” and to ensure “unity of action,” according to the justifications at the time, although she mentioned that privately, the Government President, Ángel Víctor Torres, provided her with a different explanation that she opted not to disclose.
Furthermore, she emphasised that her dismissal was an “opportunity” to focus on “other matters,” such as spending more time with her daughter and addressing her mental health.
“I became overwhelmed and sought to shield myself from any information regarding health matters,” she stated, highlighting that she resumed contact with a newspaper archive to prepare for her appearance before the Senate Investigative Committee.
She recounted the early days of the pandemic, particularly the incident involving German tourists with Coronavirus in La Gomera and the closure of a hotel in Adeje housing over 1,000 individuals, a decision that was not “imposed” and taken with the conviction that it would aid in saving lives, even in the face of “doubts” from her SCS director, Blanca Méndez, and economic pressures, to the extent that the Minister was branded “rebellious” for possibly jeopardising the economy of the archipelago.
“A viral disaster was averted; we held the carnivals, and the goal was to preserve lives,” she said while underscoring the support of the Ministry of Health.
Defending the Executive Committee: it was functional
The former minister also defended the functioning of the Health Executive Committee, which did not reconvene after her dismissal in favour of smaller committees, highlighting the establishment of a protocol to centralise procurement.
In this context, she noted that no contracts from her tenure as a minister are currently under investigation, as she first approached the usual suppliers before those who ensured that materials from China could arrive.
“The Canary Islands were very distant, and we had to manage materials resourcefully,” she added, hence “the first priority” was to secure materials before preparing the necessary documentation.
She acknowledged that perhaps her administration was not “flawless” and that they made “numerous mistakes,” considering the passage of time, but she acted “with full responsibility” and was guided by “integrity” and “transparency.”
She cited the “very evident” failures within the public health sector, as they did not address the Ministry’s requirements, and regarding the period following her mandate, she remarked that “different moments” were already being experienced.
