The opposition leader expresses concern over the government's handling of the healthcare crisis in Saint Lucia. He summarizes that the previous SLP government had plans to complete the St. Jude and OKEU hospitals but the current government has caused uncertainty and delay through contradictory statements. The opposition leader calls on the government to treat the healthcare situation as a priority and complete the hospital projects urgently to improve conditions and stop unnecessary deaths from occurring.

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STATEMENT TO THE NATION BY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
HON PHILIP J. PIERRE
ON THE HEALTH CRISIS IN SAINT LUCIA
MAY 14TH
, 2018
Good evening fellow St Lucians, I feel compelled to address youon a matter that
is causing much confusion, anxiety, fear and emotional distress to the citizens of
our nation.
For the past 23 months, the Prime Minister and his cabinet have sent our country
into a whirlwind of uncertainty regarding the provision of healthcare, in
particular, the operations of our two major hospitals, St Jude’s in the South and
the Owen King European Union Hospital (OKEU) in the north.
The Government has depended on finger-pointing and the blame game to
substitute for advancing the completion and commissioning of our health
facilities. Prime Minister Chastanet and his government are totally dismissive of

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the anxieties and concerns that have been generated by their lack of action and
conflicting statements.
During its four and a half years in government the Saint Lucia Labour Party’s
only intention was to complete the construction and reopening of St. Jude
Hospital to alleviate the plight of patients at the temporary premises at the
George Odlum Stadium. We continued to seek grants and sourced a $20M US
loan from the Taiwanese government; all of which contributed to bringing the
hospital close to completion by the year 2016.
The conditions at the George Odlum stadium have worsened and are now grossly
unsatisfactory foradministering properhealthcare to our sick brothers and sisters.
What is the government’s responseto the call from all quarters of our society to
proceed with the completion of the nearly completed St. Jude Hospital? They
chooseinstead to put $12 million into maintaining the temporary hospital facility
at the George Odlum stadium.
Indeed, there is need to undertake some work at the stadium to stabilize the roof
and some other urgent repairs. From all professional estimates those repairs can
be achieved for significantly less. Why then is the government choosing to inject
$12 million into the stadium instead of using that money to bring the St. Jude
redevelopment projectcloser to completion. And, if the government takes the $12
million and adds it to the $27million which is still available from the loan secured
from Taiwan, by the SLP Government, completion of the hospital can be
achieved well within the estimated time projected by experienced engineers and
architects.
With regard to the OKEU, the decision was taken in 2002 to construct a new
hospital. The Saint Lucia Labour Party is aware of the complexities involved in
the construction of a new hospital and has never blamed the UWP for not
completing constructionof the OKEU Hospital during the years 2006-2011 when
they were in office.
The SLP government had a health plan prepared by health professionals to
commission the hospital and were in the final stages of initiating a Health
Financing plan to allow accessibleand affordable health care to all Saint Lucians.
The SLP government never at any time contemplated the divestment of public
health care services or the health system’s assets to any private entity.
As a party we strongly believe that the provision of accessible and affordable
public health care is the responsibility of government and should be under the
controlofgovernment. In 2015 we passed the Millennium Heights Complex Act
to provide the legal framework for the running of the OKEU hospital as a

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Statutory Board after wide consultation and discussion with professionals and
health experts.
It is therefore clear that as a party, the SLP had a well thought out and coherent
plan, to operationalize and manage both hospitals at the earliest possible date.
The implementation of these plans was brought to a halt onJune 6 2016. The new
government was entrusted with the responsibility to continue the effort to
commission our two hospitals -
Let me take this opportunity to thank the nurses, doctors and other health
professionals fortheir dedication and hard work under very trying circumstances.
All available evidence indicate that privatization of our hospitals was never part
of the SLP government’s plan to manage our hospitals. The Saint Lucia Labour
Party believes that quality and affordable health care is a basic human right as
declared in the UN declaration of human rights charter. It is therefore the
responsibility of government to preserve and protect that right for every citizen
and in particular those who are most vulnerable among us. It is a responsibility
that must transcend party politics because people’s lives depend on it.
Resent revelations by our healthcare professionals about unnecessary deaths
taking place because of the inadequacy of existing facilities, must be a sourceof
constant worry to the population. Asking “why are they speaking now” is
inappropriate. What should be asked is why is the government treating those
professionals with such disdain.
It is most disturbing that on the healthcare matters confronting us, the Prime
Minister and government spokespersons have chosen to communicate to the
nation in half-truths and, in many cases, absolute untruths and contradictory
statements. Instead of being fully honest and transparent with key stakeholders
like the St Lucia Medical and Dental Association, the Nurses Association, the
Trade Union Federation and the general public they prefer to engage in providing
conflicting information and ascribing improper motives to those who call upon
them to account for the worsening state of our healthcare system.
It is a cause ofworry when a government that was elected to preserve and protect
the citizen’s right to healthcare is now actively engaged in destroying public
confidence in healthcare professionals by making disparaging comments about
their competence. That type of behavior is an indication that the government has
lost its focus and is callous and uncaring as it relates to healthcare.
It cannot be right that in the midst of so much public anxiety that no clear policy
direction is being articulated by the government on our health care system. One
day, StJude’s will be demolished, the next it will be repurposed;then no decision

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has been taken on St Jude’s, and then on another occasiona new building will be
erected.
And as it relates to the OKEU Hospital, oneminute the transitioning of the OKEU
is continuing; the next minute it is put on hold; then the OKEU will not be
privatized but on another occasion, talks are ongoing with private interests from
the Cayman Islands and Canada to farm out health care services.
In all ofthis let’s notforget the equally unacceptable conditions of health facilities
in Soufriere following the fires at the hospital there. The Government has also
chosen to abandon work in progress to upgrade healthcare facilities in Dennery
North and Anse La Raye. Our healthcare system is truly in a state of crisis and
needs caring and responsible leadership.
Fellow St Lucians, the provision of quality and affordable health care is a basic
human right that must be taken seriously by government. This issue ofhealthcare
must not be used to score cheap political points. It is true, that the provision of
public healthcare is a challenge for all governments and therefore must be
handled with maturity and a commitment to preserve this fundamental human
right for all our citizens.
The Saint Lucia Labour Party administration of 2011-2016 had commissioned a
study financed by the European Union called “Development of a Sustainable
Financing Mechanism for the Saint Lucia Health Sector”. The study completed
in March 2015 had been discussed by the officials of the Ministry of Health and
Finance after extensive discussions with all stakeholders including community
groups.
Several financing options were proposed including:
1. Employment business earnings
2. A small portion of VAT earnings
3. Assignment of the insurance benefits in private plans
4. Payment by non-citizens for health care
These options were not prepared by politicians but by experienced health
economists
It is therefore not the time for political retribution, vindictiveness and playing the
blame game. The reality is that people are dying on accountofa worsening health
care system while the government sits idly providing little hope of improvement
to the health system. We cannot disregard this plea from the SLMDA, which I
quote: “These deplorable circumstances in which we are expected to deliver
healthcare services to the public accounts for the poor quality of our healthcare

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delivery outcomes and increasing numbers of unwarranted deaths, all continuing
to spiral out of control.” Unquote.
These are the words of medical professionals. How long will it be before we or
people close to us become victim to those circumstances? We cannot afford that
risk. Our government must work every day to minimize that possibility. Putting
a hospital project on hold for two years, when money is available to continue the
work, is unconscionable.
Most Saint Lucians do not have the privilege of accessing health care overseas
when local services are not available or inadequate.
The government needs to treat the present situation of health care in the island
particularly in the south as a matter of urgency, and with greater importance than
investments in horse racing infrastructure and associated gambling facilities. The
energy, drive and determination to facilitate a horse racing track and the well-
being ofhorses is in shocking contrastto the time, energy and commitment given
to the sick and vulnerable citizens at the George Odlum stadium. The Prime
Minister is prepared to destroy a $21 million meat facility, the subject of a gift
from the Republic of China on Taiwan and the abandonment of a near $100
million St Jude’s reconstruction project to accommodate an investment in horse
racing infrastructure - which in his own words will notbea profit-making venture.
While the government and its surrogates obfuscate, ascribe blame, continue to
debate which political party should have completed the hospital, which door or
corridor is too small or whether germs can penetrate drywall, people are dying,
mothers are losing their new born babies, families are having anxious moments
about the condition of loved ones at the George Odlum stadium.
The government must not continue to ignore the attempt by the Opposition, civil
society groups, health, construction and engineering professionals to obtain
clarity on the government’s plans for the hospitals. The Prime Minister cannot
and should not continue to brush aside, snub, attack and even label as acts of
terrorism genuine concerns expressed from so many quarters of our society
A nation’s health is not a game of ‘hide and seek’ for information nor should it
be an opportunity for foreign investors with no vested interest in our people other
than taking advantage of an opportunity to make profits, at an added cost, on the
provision of health services to them.
The provision of accessible and affordable health care is the fundamental right of
every citizen and the government must make it among its top priorities. The SLP
has always advocated Universal Health Care and under the first phase of

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Universal Health Care distributed free medication to diabetic and hypertensive
patients. The government has not demonstrated that it cares about the people it
has been entrusted to represent.
I call on all St Lucians at home and abroad to putaside their differences and come
together to keep the pressure onthis government within the framework of the law
to ensure they provide accessible and affordable health care for all our citizens in
the shortest possible time.
In closing, I take this opportunity to invite all Saint Lucians to a rally for St Jude
and the fight for healthcare on Sunday 20th May outside the Vieux Fort Square
starting from 5.00 p.m. Come and show your concern.
I thank you.
BREAD * JUSTICE * FREEDOM