MINISTER Guy Joseph’s announcement that the government will continue construction of the St. Jude Hospital on “the existing site” sparked a myriad of reactions this past week from various quarters.
However, the SLMDA was not alone in expressing its ire at the Government, as the Opposition has also had its say.
Its message was simple: “We do not trust anything that the Government says” – at least not without documentation and evidence.
That, according to Opposition Leader Philip J. Pierre and Vieux Fort North MP Moses Jn. Baptiste during the SLP’s weekly press conference held, last Wednesday.
The two Opposition Members both made it clear that they will believe nothing Minister Joseph and the UWP Government have stated on any of the issues — particularly those concerning healthcare — without documentation or evidence to support those claims.
Jn Baptiste stated that the UHC proposed by the Government will be managed by foreign interests, and Pierre took it even further, saying that unless he sees documentation of the Government’s Health Insurance plans, he won’t believe them.
“This Government has said different things, at different times, about health insurance, about TPP, about privatisation. We just simply cannot trust the word of the Government regarding healthcare.” Pierre stated.
Asked whether or not he believes that the Government has UHC plans in the works, he responded emphatically: “No, I can’t! Evidence leads me not to believe it.”
According to Mr Pierre, “Here is how these things are done and I want you to go into evidence” Pierre began, before stating that with its ongoing talks with health insurance companies, there ought to be, a “Tender for Provision of Health Insurance For the Government of St. Lucia”; so that “everybody knows that the St. Lucian Government is pursuing health insurance.”
“That is how it’s done when you want to be transparent” Pierre added.
