- Police disrupt meeting chases everyone out
- Unions to petition gvt on Monday over PSMAS
Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) yesterday (June 30, 22) defied the Regulator of Medical Aid Societies (RMAS), which had directed the company to stop its Annual General Meeting pending finalisation of a forensic audit.
By Michael Gwarisa
The AGM was scheduled to take place yesterday with a number of agenda items that included extension of the forensic audit to other PSMAS entities and regularisation of a Trust, which is supposed to superintend over Premier Service Holding Company (PSHC).
In his response to the Health Permanent Secretary dated 29 June following the directive, PSMAS chairman Dr Jeremiah Bvirindi wrote “I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28 June 2022, which I however only received late this afternoon. In view of the inherent logistical challenges the AGM shall be informally postponed at the meeting venue, tomorrow, namely 30 June 2022,” said Dr Bvirindi.
Despite this acknowledgement, PSMAS continued with preparations for the AGM in direct defiance to the directive. The AGM was however disrupted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) riot division who ordered everyone out of the AMG venue.
Speaking during a press conference held later in the day, Trade Union leaders claimed that the regulator had no right to stop the AGM and threatened to take legal action as well as demonstrate.
Premier Service Medical Investment (PSMI) vice board chair, Mrs Cecelia Alexandra and Mr David Gatsura who were previously fingered in a number of scandals involving abuse of power and funds at PSMI and PSMAS were part of the press conference as Union representatives.
After the regulator had issued a directive to stop the AGM, we also sought legal opinion and we were informed that what the regulator did was contrary to the law and the regulator does not have power to stop the AGM. The Permanent Secretary is not even part of the AGM and is not even a member, he cannot stop the AGM,” said Mrs Alexandra.
Cancellation of the AGM has not gone down well with stakeholders mainly Civil Servants, workers Unions and Doctors and Nurses Associations who believe there is an invisible hand trying to grab PSMAS, Hospitals and clinics by force.
Mr Raymond Majongwe the Secretary-General of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said they were taking the legal route and they will on Monday demonstrate to government telling them to get their hands off PSMAS.
“From a PTUZ position, we are shocked as to what the police are doing here. We are also shocked why the public service commission comes up with a blanket position that postpones, suspends or adjourns the AGM when it is clear that PSMAS is a membership organisation and it is the members who dictate and determine the destiny and direction of the organisation.
“As Civil Servants and contributing members to the PSMAS, I am representing members from the education sector. We are here to send a clear unadulterated and uncompromising position to that states that as workers, we take great exception of the conduct by government, couldn’t by people in the PSMAS as well as the Public Service Commission that we feel there are clear efforts to Usurp and steal this entity that entirely bel0ng to the members who are the civil servants.
“We have no kind for the actions that we are noticing at the moment. The AGM that was supposed to happen in the morning did not happen because of undue influence and the trigger happy police officer who came to the venue and ordered members out when we know for a fact that they have no capacity to do the same,” said Majongwe.
