The Saint Lucia Labour Party is pleased to once again respond to uwp on juffali questions

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PRESS RELEASE
DECEMBER 2,2019
SLP is pleased to Once Again Respond to UWP on Juffali Questions
The Saint Lucia Labour Party notes once again the attempt by the UWP to sully the name of Dr Ernest
Hilaire and the Saint Lucia Labour Party. The SLP is disgusted but in the interest of truth is
responding to request for answers.
Yet again the United Workers Party maliciously produces another libelous statement regarding Walid
Juffali’s appointment. The UWP is fully aware that Hon. Ernest Hilaire does not appoint
Ambassadors or issue diplomatic passports. To create the impression that Dr Hilaire did is malicious,
defamatory and libelous. To further suggest that he may have been paid for doing something that he
had no power to do is aggravating the accusation.
It is noteworthy that the mentioned Al Jazeera documentary after all their thorough investigations
never suggested or presented evidence that Dr. Hilaire or the SLP granted a diplomatic passport for
personal benefits.
If the UWP and Prime Minister truly wanted an unbiased and objective investigation into the Juffali
appointment, the Prime Minister could have appointed a Commission of Enquiry to look into the
matter in a public and transparent manner. Instead, the Prime Minister announced in Parliament on
March 26, 2018 that he had commenced proceedings to investigate the matter. Since then the Prime
Minister has kept secret who is investigating and the findings.
If the Prime Minister cared about truth and transparency he would release all the documents in his
possession that illustrates exactly what happened with the appointment of Dr. Juffali and the
establishment of the Diabetes Research Center.
The intent of the Juffali appointment, as was the case with Sir John Compton’s appointment of Gilbert
Chagoury to UNESCO, was to put a person of influence in a position to help promote our national
interest. Dr. Juffali agreed and started undertaking to provide us with a medical research centre with a
concentration on Diabetes research and to build the 5th Finger (building) of the OKEU Hospital
which had been severed by the UWP Administration of 2006-2011.
1. Dr. Juffali was the founder of one of the world's leading medical think tanks; The Brain
Forum and research institute "W Science";

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2. W Science had consultations with medical experts from Saint Lucia who took part in
extensive consultations to develop the diabetes centre. Experts from Saint Lucia visited
Lausanne, Switzerland for consultations in furtherance of the project. The Prime Minister has
the documentation.
3. A team of the world's leading experts in Diabetes Research visited Saint Lucia to assess
local facilities and finalise a Feasibility Plan for the establishment of the Diabetes Research
Center. The Prime Minister has the documentation.
4. W Science paid for the law firm that drafted the specialised legislation that was needed for
the medical research which was mentioned in the Throne Speech in 2015 and the legislation,
the Clinical Trial Act was passed on 29 January 2016. The PM has the documentation.
5. The Ministry of Health provided costings to build the 5th finger for the OKEU to house the
diabetes centre and private rooms for the hospital. The PM has the documentation.
6. A letter of commitment for financing was sent to the Government of Saint Lucia and a
request for an MOU was made by W Science. The Prime Minister has the documentation.
Sadly, the UWP even when they returned to power in 2016 had the opportunity to continue the project
but because of their narrow-minded politics and myopic vision, like they did with other projects
started under the SLP, they stopped the development of the Diabetes Research Centre and deprived
the country of the 5th Finger of the OKEU Hospital. No different to what they did with the
operationalisation of OKEU and completion of St. Jude Hospital.
Whilst we await the Prime Minister and the UWP to release the documents, there are many questions
the UWP and Prime Minister should answer as well, for example:
1. When will the promised Report on the WIPAY investigation be released?
2. When will the promised Report on the PAJOAH letter investigation be released?
3. When will a full explanation of the Range Hotel Settlement fiasco be provided?
4. Why was the DSH Framework Agreement signed one month after elections and without
proper scrutiny?
5. Explain the secret appointment of a Permanent Representative to the International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in 2018 who was also appointed as Ambassador at
Large.
The Prime Minister can for once tell the truth!
ENDS.
BREAD * JUSTICE * FREEDOM