Bermuda Hospitals Board chairman Jonathan Brewin has denied there was anything odd about the early departure of CEO Stephanie Reid.

She was given a year's extension to her contract in November but left last week when Joan Dillas-Wright replaced her.

Mr. Brewin said the hospital needed financial restructuring and, as the new financial year had started, it made sense to start with a new team.

He paid tribute to her professionalism and said: "Stephanie Reid was not fired.

"Stephanie oversaw many successful initiatives at the hospital over the past three and one half years.

"As you know, it has always been the Board's intention to find a suitable Bermudian CEO. We wanted to get our new management team in place as quickly as possible.

"The public has been aware of Stephanie's departure for some time and so was Stephanie.

"Even though her contract expired in November 2002, she agreed to stay on until we found a suitable Bermudian and we are grateful to her for that."