[dropcap]A[/dropcap]t last Sunday’s UWP rally in Micoud, while referring to the staff and patients at St. Jude Hospital, Mr. Guy Joseph promised those present that his government would not take them out of the hell of their current circumstances at the Odlum Sports stadium only to deposit them in a worse place. Several other speakers at the public gathering echoed the Southeast Castries MP. Meanwhile the opposition St. Lucia Labour Party and the St. Lucia Medical and Dental Association have been urging the government to complete the structure that the SLP undertook in 2011 and left half done on June 6, 2016—only to see the new government cease all related work, on the ground that the inherited structure that has cost hundreds of millions of dollars was way below acceptable standards.
The SLP’s Alva Baptiste, to no one’s surprise, said in a recent statement: “We are satisfied with the various reports coming from professional engineers and architects that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the reconstruction of the St. Jude Hospital.”
On Monday, obviously keeping in mind the prime minister’s promise to make a definitive statement on the future of St. Jude come the end of May, Mr. Joseph told reporters at a pre-Cabinet briefing: “This is not about reacting to pressure or to what is being said. Whatever is going to happen with St. Jude, is going to happen on the existing site.”
In the absence of the prime minister, who is off-island, Joseph also confirmed on Monday, “Some of the buildings will be used; others that cannot be used for the actual layout of the hospital will be considered for purposes.”
He repeated earlier announcements that “it was never the government’s intention to abandon the St. Jude site” and that it is the government’s responsibility “to strike the balance between what has been done and how much of it that can be used”.
He also promised that if it turns out that the St. Jude budget was used inappropriately, those responsible will be held accountable. He said the noise from suspect protesters against the government’s plans for St. Jude would have no effect on investigations into why the hospital was left half complete after almost five years of costly work. “We will find out what transpired,” said Joseph, “and those to be held responsible will be held responsible.”
He added: “We do not want half a hospital, we want a full hospital.”
On Wednesday the threats and counter-threats continued, with the opposition leader Philip J. Pierre informing reporters at a press conference: “The Labour Party is resolute, regardless of the threats. We are saying to the government, take the people out of the George Odlum Stadium, complete St. Jude Hospital, and if the Labour Party has done anything wrong, then take us to justice.”
