There is one common refrain from probably all of St. Lucia. The one issue that has us, maybe for the first time, speaking with one voice. The single issue that we can all agree on. The fact that it is a shame that after 17 long years and more than half a billion dollars later, St. Luicia is still without its promised hospital in the south of the island.
Where most St. Lucians part ways is on the issue of who is responsible for this disaster of a project and why is it yet to be full operational. That argument in large measure is divided along party lines and would take some time to factually unravel.
When Vieux Fort, and indeed the entire south of the island, lost the St. Jude Hospital on September 9th, 2009 through a devastating fire, it seemed then a simple matter of just rebuilding it. While it was naïve to believe that this was a simple rebuild issue, it was also incredibly naïve to believe that the politicians would treat this as a national need and less of a political football.
The debacle that is the St. Jude issue now features the ramblings of four prime ministers and five administrations, the hijacking of the public purse to the tune of approximately 600 million dollars, two separate structures, a deprived south and a dissatisfied nation.
All of St. Lucia hoped for better.
One issue that many have not spoken about or even thought about is the fact that, in the process, the south lost a premier sporting facility for what seem like a century. The George Odlum Stadium was considered a sporting gem that would help unlock the sporting prowess of the southern corridor. Now it will take millions and years to rehabilitate.
At present, the current administration through Health Minister Moses JnBaptiste, is in the process of moving departments to the new facility from the George Odlum Stadium. The departments that are reportedly operational include the Administrative Centre, Physiotherapy, Dialysis, and the hospital’s new high-capacity Laundry and Kitchen facilities. The minister had originally set a tentative deadline of August 2026 for all department to be full transferred.
That deadline has come and gone and we are still not full operational at the new St. Jude Hospital.
The United Workers Party (UWP), through their Political Leader Allen Chastanet, has called for a thorough, in-depth, independent audit although a number of reports already exist and are making the rounds locally.
Former Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Vieux Fort South Dr. Kenny Anthony said it best, “this has turned out to be the most expensive public sector project ever undertaken in this country.” Dr. Anthony spoke at the St. Jude Hospital handing over ceremony in November 2005, ahead of the December 1st general election.
With all this it must be recognized that the absolute real cost are the lives that have been adversely affected in this national debacle. The names of those who died; Jay St. Aimee, 17, Claudius Soudine, 60, and Joseph Jn Baptiste, 87, must headline that list as those who suffered on that ill- fated September night in 2009 and countless others who suffered through 17 long years.
In the end, what will become of this debacle and those who supposedly made decisions on our behalf? Many have every confidence that this national shame will disappear with no consequence for those who decided poorly on this issue and there is every indication that they are leaning in the right direction.