Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts has lambasted Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands for allegedly violating the Cabinet Code of Ethics and is calling on Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis to clarify what he calls a blatant conflict of interest.

In a statement issued yesterday Mr. Roberts said Dr. Minnis has looked the other way while the Health Minister violated the code.

“I am advised from multiple sources that Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands performed several surgical procedures at the Princess Margaret Hospital after his appointment as a Cabinet Minister.

“If these reports are true, Dr. Sands in the capacity of Health Minister is in direct violation of established and longstanding cabinet code of ethics and procedures for its Ministers as the Health Minister would have placed himself in a fundamental conflict between his private business interests and his public duty.

“Certainly the Health Minister as regulator cannot self-regulate; it is called self-dealing, an unacceptable and corrupt practice that Dr. Minnis vowed to stamp out of government.

“Under these established Code of Ethics, Cabinet Ministers would be required to discontinue all private work on assumption of office. Further, they are required to resign from any other public office or as director and/or officer of any and all public or private companies or associations.

“Contractual relationships with the government must be terminated, with interest in any company holding such contractual relationships divested or, as appropriate, placed in a blind trust,” Mr. Roberts said.

Mr. Roberts in his statement referred to comments delivered by Prime Minister Minnis at Government House during the swearing-in ceremonies of his cabinet ministers just five short months ago:

“Good and open government demands transparency and accountability. Good governance demands being responsible for our actions.

“Accordingly, I will hold my minsters to the highest standards of ethical conduct in the performance of their public duties.”

Mr. Roberts added Dr. Sands’ behavior is a clear breach of public trust and is not representative of good governance, humility, personal sacrifice, responsibility, honesty or ethical conduct, and he has compromised the integrity of his high office and this demands immediate accountability for his actions.