The Hospital San Joan Baptista of Sitges begins a new era. The resignation of part of the Municipal Supervisors during the Municipal House held on Monday March 25 and the Tuesday celebration on the Board of Trustees, that reaffirmed the cessation of the current manager and a Municipal Supervisor, represents the beginning of a new period in one of the institutions more appreciated by the people of Sitges.
As Mayor of Sitges and President of the Private Foundation of Hospital Sant Joan Baptista, it's my duty to report the events that led the City Hall to forgo the renovation of supervisors and the non-supervisory secretary that ended their term on 30 March, and that brought about the rest of resignations.
With the start of this term in June 2011 and, after the resignation of former manager, Roland Sierra, for personal reasons, the City Hall of Sitges and the Parish, as institutional representatives, started to work to find out all the details about the operation of Hospital Sant Joan in all its aspects, focusing specially inherited property and senior care. Things have not been easy in this respect. During the past year relations have been marked by a climate of distrust and lack of agreement, including disloyalty towards institutional supervisors, that along with me are positions held by councilors Vinyet Lluis, Marc Martinez and the rector of the Parish, Father Josep Pausas.
We found that the way of doing things was not of our liking, since they showed lack of transparency when accessing accounts, apart from the fact that we found asset sales to family members of board representatives. We will not question if such transactions were made illegally, but I honestly think, and have said so publicly, that occupying a position on the board of the foundation is not compatible with the sale of an asset to a family member.
During the last year we also learned that the Department of Justice of the Generalitat de Catalunya required the Hospital de Sant Joan to furnish information about asset sales between 2009 and 2011, on which no authorization was requested to the supervising body in charge of ensuring the responsible management of inherited assets.
The breaking point that stressed the lack of loyalty of Municipal Supervisors towards the City Hall and the Parish Council came late last year, when they had to renew part of the articles of association to suit the new legislation. Without consulting the City Council, Municipal Supervisors proposed an amendment that left the Municipal House without power of decision on the renewal of its members, or the suppression of the vice-presidency or the vote of the Rector of the Parish, among others. We must remember that the Hospital is a property of the City of Sitges, and if there is any institution that represents the town that is the Municipal House. I could not allow the Hospital de Sant Joan to become a foundation without any type of control by the democratic representatives of Sitges.
As the highest democratic authority of the Government of Sitges, we can't allow any lack of transparency in an institution like the Hospital, an organization with centuries of history. We adopted this decision as guardians of the institution as soon as we detected gross
irregularities. Citizens are entitled to know how and what is done with all the inherited assets that belong to all of us.
Just during the board meeting of Tuesday I promoted the approval of an audit of all procedures both in equity and welfare. The lack of transparency is over. Clarity and transparency.
We went through an institutional crisis that affected the dynamics of the board. Now, the Foundation of the Hospital de Sant Joan will begin a new era that will witness the selection of a new administrator, a position occupied by Antoni Baqués until past Tuesday, apart from the renovation of Municipal Supervisors. As an answer to the aforementioned situation, I want to deliver a message of serenity, since the incident does not affect the daily life of the hospital, senior home and senior care will continue their normal operation, with existing managements and professional team.
Until the appointment of the new administration I myself as Mayor of Sitges and President of the Hospital will assume all the administrative functions of the institution.
