GPO agrees to fire managing director for negligence
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Irregularities over procurements, delays in plant construction cited
The Government Pharma-ceutical Organisation’s executive board yesterday agreed to fire managing director Witit Artavatkun for negligence.
Dr Pipat Yingseri, chairman of the board, said it had met to discuss irregularities in the purchasing and procurement of raw materials to make paracetamol, and delays in the construction of an influenza-vaccine plant and an HIV/Aids drug plant.
All 14 board members agreed that Witit should be fired immediately as he had failed to prevent the irregularities in buying the ingredients to produce paracetamol.
Dr Niphon Phopattanachai, chairman of the GPO’s investigative committee for the purchasing and procurement of raw material to produce paracetamol, said its regulations were not complied with.
Furthermore, the GPO had imported the raw materials without a plan to produce paracetamol, as at that time the construction of its plant was not finished.
Meanwhile, Dr Somchai Nitpanich, who chairs another investigative committee on the flu-vaccine plant, said Witit failed to control the delay in the construction of the Bt1.4-billion plant in Saraburi province.
The plant was due to be completed in 2011, but is still unfinished.
Concerns were also raised about the construction of an HIV/Aids drug plant in Pathum Thani that has still not been completed.
Pipat said he would ask the Cabinet to consider removing Witit from his position as soon as possible.
Temporary replacement
The GPO’s executive board has designated Pissamorn Klinsuwan as acting director, from yesterday.
“Witit breached the employment contract with the GPO by his negligence, which caused damage for the GPO.
He did not use his capacity enough to prevent the damage,” Pipat told a press conference after the three-hour meeting of the executive board.
Meanwhile, Witit said he would consult with his legal team to prove his innocence before the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) concluded its probe into the GPO’s construction of the flu-vaccine plant in Saraburi on Thursday, and found that Witit had breached a number of laws.
The DSI said it would send its findings to the NACC for further investigation.
