On Wednesday, members of the United Workers Party (UWP) staged what they call a peaceful demonstration outside the Owen King EU (OKEU) Hospital in a continuing bid to highlight concerns over the state of healthcare and government accountability.
Deputy Party Leader Guy Joseph says he is calling attention to issues that are negatively impacting the nation.
“It’s just what we call a peaceful demonstration of our concerns about key sectors that have been impacted in a very negative way on the country,” Joseph told St. Lucia Times.
The former Castries South East MP focused heavily on the state of healthcare, referencing the recent letter from the Medical and Dental Association that described conditions as the “worst they have ever been.”
“Patients are being asked to bring basic items like thread for surgery. The hospital is running out of essentials like water and gloves. It’s a total breakdown,” Joseph asserted.
He highlighted the strain on OKEU Hospital due to the closure or limited operations of other health facilities, including the Castries and Entrepot Health Centres.
“OKEU has become the main health center for the Castries basin, and that is adding strain on the medical practitioners,” the former Economic Development Minister stated.
Joseph also criticized the government’s handling of healthcare funding, noting that despite a 2.5% health and security levy, there has been little improvement. “The government continues to promote that people, 80 years and over, are entitled to free healthcare. Yet still, the record will show there are a number of persons over 80 who have died at the hospital, and the family cannot get the death certificate until they pay all the bills.” he added.
Joseph called for the replacement of Health Minister Moses John Baptiste, accusing him of incompetence. He also questions the appointment of former Health Minister Damian Greaves as CEO of the Millennium Heights Medical Complex, under which the OKEU falls.
According to Joseph, Greaves is a comrade of the ruling Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP).
“We have serious concerns about how Damian Greaves landed the job as CEO. Where was the job advertising? How many applicants we had? Who are the people who interviewed the applicants to make that determination?. Just hand picked to come and run the hospital as part of the comrades of the Labour Party. Is that how the country is being run today? “
“We are calling on all St. Lucians to recognise what is happening. The government’s approach is failing, and people are suffering,” Joseph concluded.
The UWP has vowed to continue its advocacy, while urging the government to address the healthcare crisis and improve transparency in public appointments.
