The Opposition leader demanded answers last night from health minister Kim Wilson on the “shock” firing of the Bermuda Health Council’s chief executive.

Craig Cannonier said details of how Tawanna Wedderburn was sacked without warning last month, revealed by her husband, Livingston, should be of concern to the entire island.

The One Bermuda Alliance leader 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.”

Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, the shadow health minister, said: “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?

They were speaking after Mr Wedderburn said on Monday that his wife’s removal was a devastating “sneak attack” against a “competent, honest and respected” professional.

Mr Wedderburn claimed his wife was “mercilessly fired” and threatened with imprisonment if she talked about her departure from the health watchdog, even to her children.

He asked: “Who plotted and led the charge on the night of the long knives and who appointed and/or instructed them?” And: “Is this in any way related to damning things, not yet publicly known?”

Mr Cannonier said the Minister of Health needed to answer those questions and others.

He highlighted the claim that Ms Wedderburn was taken to a restaurant and asked to agree to her departure being announced to the public, either as an amicable separation or as a result of her resignation.

He said allegations about how she was treated came “as a shock to all of us”, as they concerned “someone that we knew did so well within the area of health and was concerned about the cost of health in Bermuda”.

The Bermuda Health Council in 2017 reduced fees for MRI and CT scans carried out at Bermuda Healthcare Services in Paget and Brown-Darrell Clinic in Smith’s, operated by Ewart Brown, a doctor and former premier.

The decision angered Dr Brown, who sent a series of strongly worded e-mails to Ms Wedderburn and other public officials about the cuts, as revealed in a public access to information disclosure by the Ministry of Health last year.

He singled out Ms Wedderburn and two other public servants a year ago as he announced the closure of the Brown-Darrell clinic because of the fee cuts.

Dr Brown said at a press conference: “Remember these names. Jennifer Attride-Stirling, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health. Tawanna Wedderburn, CEO of the health council, and Ricky Brathwaite, so-called health economist. I want you to remember those names.”

The ruling Progressive Labour Party government later said the slashing of the fees was an “economic vendetta” against Dr Brown by the OBA.

The Government later handed $820,000 from the public purse in compensation to Dr Brown, with another payout of $420,000 expected.

Ms Wilson told Parliament last November that the payments were justified because technical officers had told her there was no consultation with Dr Brown.

The Pati disclosure included e-mails between Dr Attride-Stirling, Ms Wedderburn and Dr Brathwaite in which they insisted there had been consultation.

Dr Attride-Stirling wrote that she wanted to “dispel the allegations of political targeting”.

Mr Cannonier said last night that the allegations from Ms Wedderburn’s husband came “on top of revelations that our Minister of Health, in the House of Assembly, said that she had received from her technical officers information that said that the One Bermuda Alliance, when it was in government, was targeting a particular company when it came to the cost of scans, only to find out, and to have it substantiated through a Pati request, that this was not the case at all, that technical officers had not said that, technical officers had actually said the complete opposite”.

He added: “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.”

Ms Gordon-Pamplin said: “The removal of Tawanna Wedderburn as the CEO of the Bermuda Health Council should ring alarm bells.”

She added: “It will be interesting to see who eventually replaces her. 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.”

Canterbury Law, acting for the health council, said yesterday that Ms Wedderburn’s termination was legal.

Juliana Snelling, a director of the law firm, said: “It is inappropriate to provide detailed comment to a matter that involves an individual’s personal employment situation which is expected to become sub judice imminently ... 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.”

She added: “The council is not prepared to descend to litigating this matter through the press or to breach confidentiality.”

Dr Brown could not be contacted for comment.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said Ms Wilson was told of the “proposed separation” on December 6 and approved it the next day in line with the Act governing the health council.

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

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