Members of the Opposition called for further details about the termination of a former Bermuda Health Council chief executive today.

Craig Cannonier, the One Bermuda Alliance leader, and Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, the shadow health minister, asked questions about how Tawanna Wedderburn’s employment with BHeC ended last month.

Ms Wedderburn’s husband Livingston wrote in a letter to media that his wife was “mercilessly fired” without warning.

The BHeC said at the time there had been a “separation of employment”.

Ms Gordon-Pamplin said today: “As I have publicly stated previously, the removal of Tawanna Wedderburn as the CEO of the Bermuda Health Council should ring alarm bells.

“This is a highly respected professional who was removed from her job without any public explanation then, or since.

“That is totally unacceptable and makes me wonder who was behind the decision to remove her from her post.”

She added: “In light of the fact that the Minister of Health has been totally silent on this issue, I have to ask, was she pressured into supporting the removal of Ms Wedderburn? There has been no explanation, so what else are we to believe?”

In reference to the health council’s new permanent chief executive, who has yet to be named, Ms Gordon-Pamplin said: “I will be watching with great interest to see if they have the same drive and determination as Ms Wedderburn to reduce healthcare costs which are being driven by the overutilisation of some services.”

Mr Cannonier described the claims made by Mr Wedderburn as “shocking”.

He added: “This should be extremely concerning to all of us that we have not gotten any news from the minister concerning what exactly is going on.”

Mr Cannonier said: “Bermuda I’m asking you to continue to read with interest, listen with interest, these revelations are rather telling and yet again, we’re still not hearing from the minister speaking to these issues and what’s going on.”

A Government spokeswoman confirmed yesterday Kim Wilson, the health minister, received notice about the “proposed separation” of Ms Wedderburn from the BHeC on December 6 and approved it the following day.

She added: “As an employment matter the Ministry will not comment further.”

The spokeswoman said today there was nothing to add.

A law firm acting for the BHeC said Ms Wedderburn’s employment was “terminated lawfully by the council in full compliance with section 18(1)(b) of the Employment Act 2000, the Bermuda Health Council Act 2004, and her contract of employment which calls for one-month notice of termination”. It said she was paid her notice and offered six months pay and benefits “in good faith”.

The lawyers added: “The council is prepared to robustly defend any legal proceedings that the former CEO may wish to bring in relation to the separation process which was lawful throughout.

“Aside from what is stated here, the council is not prepared to descend to litigating this matter through the press or breach confidentiality.”

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