7 News Belize

The Ministry and Mr. Monima
posted (June 9, 2016)
The Ministry of Health's hiring of a Regional Manager for the North has raised eyebrows - and that's because critics are saying Audibaldo Monima is trained as a coast guard officer, not a Health Administrator. Indeed, the terms of reference for the job call for someone with a Master's degree in Public Health Administration, Health Systems Management of the equivalent. But, the CEO in the Ministry of Health says Monima has a master's degree in naval administration - which is a much contested claim.

The CEO Ramon Figueroa told us Monima is on contract on a 6 month trial basis. The CEO says, quote, "one of his strengths is management, and the reason for the contract is to allow for an evaluation of his performance over the next six months." End quote. After that - if his performance is satisfactory - the recommendation to make him full time will go from the Ministry of Health to the Public Service.

And while the Health CEO says Monima has a master's in naval administration, others say he only has an Associate's degree, and, at best, a training certificate from the Mexican Navy. We know that he did not embark on any course of study while he was in the Coast Guard.

We tried to reach Monima directly for comment but he was in a meeting. Our encounters with Monima have been confined to his Coast Guard days, and he made the news back in 2014, during the Best Warrior competition - in this memorable moment:

FILE: November 21, 2014
Daniel Ortiz reporting
For the officers' squad, Lt. Monima was the last man who needed to make it up the rope. He demonstrated just how physically demanding the medley challenge was. On his first try, he made it half-way up the rope, but by that time, he was too tired to finish the obstacle. He slid back down the rope, causing his competitors, and team mates to doubt whether not he'd ever make it to the top.

For about 15 minutes, Lt. Monima struggled to get up the rope, and with each failed attempt, he was bringing his team closer to an incomplete for the day. That would mean that all the hard work of his teammates would not earn them any points.

Finally, his team inquired with the competition officials, and after getting, greenlight, they formed a pyramid helping Monima up the rope, so that he could touch the verandah.

Some bystanders said that wasn't fair, since he didn't make it up on his own strength, but no one argued that it was the strong teamwork - which is acceptable in the competition - that allowed him to get to the top.

Lt. Monima, who had it the most difficult of the 3 days, was leading his team way out in front, still showing strong. Back with the intake 5's squad, they had their ever faithful fellow recruits cheering them on, lending moral support, while some of the members struggled on the road.

Monima resigned from the Coast Guard just last month, at the rank of Lieutenant in the Coast Guard. He was making about thirty-five thousand dollars per annum. His new job is at payscale 23, ranging between forty and sixty thousand dollars per annum, depending on years of service.

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