Insider benefits while local health care workers threatened with layoff
VICTORIA – New Democrat Finance Critic Bruce Ralston is raising concerns over Plenary Health’s status as one of the final bidders for the P3 hospital expansion projects in Kelowna and Vernon.
Plenary Health, one of three proponents short-listed in the competition for the hospital 
Bruce Ralstonexpansion projects, announced in March 2007 that Mike Marasco would take the post of senior vice-president for the company that specializes in P3 developments.
“This is the same Mike Marasco that recently left a senior post with Partnerships BC with a six month restriction from participating in bids involving that agency,” said Ralston, the MLA for Surrey-Whalley.
“Six months is not a long enough restriction,” said Ralston. “People in Mr. Marasco’s situation, top level appointees of the Campbell government, bring a lot of inside knowledge. They know where the government’s real bottom line is in negotiations. They know the most attractive way to present a bid.
“Mike Marasco was project manager of the Abbotsford Hospital and Cancer Center Project,” added Ralston. “So he clearly has inside information on P3 developments in the health sector. And now he is behind one of the main bids for the Kelowna and Vernon hospital expansion projects – projects that could see hundreds of health care workers lose their jobs.”
Ralston pointed out that other senior public servants, including Deputy Ministers, have a one year restriction placed on their work upon leaving the civil service, and politicians have a two year restriction on taking contracts with government.
“The Campbell government loves to set rules and then make exceptions for their friends,” said Ralston.
“This is a clear example of the Campbell government’s loose approach to ethics – Liberal friends get the inside track while health care workers live under the threat of Bill 29 and the potential to lose their job at a moments notice,” said Ralston.
