SLP says Clarify Hospital Statements

The St. Lucia Labour Party calls on the Minister for Health, Mr. Keith Mondesir to clarify the statements he made about a possible amalgamation of the psychiatric and general hospitals.
The SLP wishes to find out whether the UWP Government has made a decision to abandon previous plans for the construction of the new national hospital for the people of St. Lucia
If that is indeed the case, then it is a retrograde step.
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals may not have stated a specific agenda for improving on the quality of mental healthcare, but during the Labour Party’s term in government it embraced the ideals of promoting the dignity of human existence. The SLP set a goal to review the status and welfare of patients in key state institutions like the Golden Hope Hospital, The Royal Jail. Inevitably this review included an assessment of what was once the premier health facility, the Victoria Hospital. That commitment also extended to the improvement of accommodation for the police and fire services.
It is regrettable that at this point in St. Lucia’s development the Minister for Health is appearing to retreat from these noble ideals with a decision to amalgamate the psychiatric and general hospitals.
This decision suggests that this government has a patent disregard for the welfare of the people of this country. That is not new to the United Workers Party; this Government has shown through out its leadership that there has been a pre-occupation with brick and mortar rather than the development of people and systems to support the elevation of human existence in St. Lucia.

The decision of Mr. Keith Mondesir to amalgamate the two hospitals flies in the face of reason. It suggests acquiescence to the dictates of Taiwan and is not informed by the present and future needs of St. Lucia. A decision of that kind demands consultation with the stakeholders to be affected.
This appears to be a unilateral and hasty decision by a Minister who has shown no real ability for the job of managing the public health system. Keith Mondesir appears to be more concerned with not doing what the Government of the St. Lucia Labour Party has started than what is best for the people of St. Lucia.
Further, the St. Lucia Labour Party notes that the statement by Keith Mondesir was supported by Ambassador Chou, who assured St. Lucians that on completion St. Lucians will have two world class hospitals.
Why is Ambassador Chou being allowed to make public policy statements on behalf of the Government of St. Lucia? The people of St. Lucia do not need Ambassador Chou to tell them what is good for them.
The Labour Party urges Prime Minister Stephenson King to confirm or deny the statements made by his Minister of Health Mr. Keith Mondesir.