DID the Head of the European Union Delegation to the Eastern Caribbean, Mikael Barfod hint to the Government of Saint Lucia the time frame for the official opening of the newly named Owen King EU Hospital?
The hospital was named last Sunday as part of the country’s 37th independence anniversary without any clear date given as to its opening although references have been made by Health Minister Alvina Reynolds that it would open this year for certain.
Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony has been more cautious in his approach to a time frame for the hospital’s opening stating Sunday that “we will be opening in due course.”
However Ambassador Barfod, in his speech whether jokingly or otherwise, called on the Prime Minister to open the hospital before September 1.
“I can’t wait to take part in the opening. All I need is for the Prime Minister to give me a date,” Barfod said.
He then quoted a line from the song sung by the hospital choir “ain’tno mountain high enough” to drop his hint. It was unclear whether he was joking or hinting his unavailability to attend the opening at a date later than 1 September of this year.
“There ain’tno mountain high enough to keep me away from the forthcoming opening, as long as it is before 1 September 2016,” Ambassador Barfod said.
That said, he later called on government to “make sure that the hospital is opened within a few months”.
Ambassador Barfod believes that the government should ensure the economic viability of the hospital as this would be central to its sustainability and the quality of services it would render.
He said: “The EU is currently supporting the government to develop strategies and policies for the sustainable financing of the health sector, and I know that the issue of the economic viability of this hospital is foremost on the minds of bureaucrats and lay persons alike. The health sector is often viewed as a burden on a given country, as it requires too much from the government’s treasury while contributing little or nothing to the fund.”
do not b trouble it will b full with U W P WITH all kind of headache backache/heartache/toothache/and all the body-ache u can think of after the victory of the S L P come next election. it leader ALLAN TRUMP will pay the full-bills.
so please as it is written in the heaven so it will b don.