As Chief Pharmacist, Anderson is the only one authorized to sign customs entries to release pharmaceutical drugs. But she was on sick from April 7 to 17th., and on April 11th., the Procurement Manager at the Central Medical Stores office sent out an email alleging that she was on strike and quote, "refusing to sign supply orders, which could endanger the health of patients." The PSU claims that CEO Allen wrote back in support of that statement, saying Anderson was quote "holding the system to ransom." To end that state of affairs, the Ministry recommended four other persons to sign customs entries including the controversial Director Of The Drug Inspectorate, Danini Contreras. They say the CEO did this without going through the proper channels. But the PSU says it's all a witch hunt, because they claim Anderson was having the entries brought to her home so that she could deal with them. The Union says, quote, "she saw the email as a continuing attack on her personally and on her position as chief Pharmacist by Dr Allen." The PSU is demanding an apology and retraction of the email.

But, all the personal stuff aside, much more importantly, she sees it as, quote, "a deliberate move to weaken the monitoring and regulating of imported pharmaceuticals by placing persons including Ms Contreras who is inexperienced and has not qualified as a registered pharmacist to have the oversight of such an important area." End quote. The regulation of pharmaceuticals we note is an area of ongoing Concern by the National Security Council.

The Ministry of Health sent out its own release later today saying quote, "the release contains several misrepresentations." It doesn't say really what those are, but goes on to explain, "In order to facilitate and maintain the availability of essential medical supplies at all times, it was thought advisable to authorize more than one officer to certify customs entries." End quote. The release says that three other pharmacists were authorized by the Ministry to certify such entries and thus avoid delays.