For over 16 years since the tragic fire that destroyed the original St. Jude Hospital in Vieux-Fort, the people of southern Saint Lucia have been promised a fully rebuilt and operational hospital. Yet, nearly a decade and a half later, after over $400 million spent on an 80 year old makeshift structure — including $265 million by this Philip J. Pierre administration, the facility remains not fully commissioned and closed to patients.
When in opposition, the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) loudly criticized the previous United Workers Party (UWP) administration, asserting that the hospital was 70 percent complete and should take no more than a year to finish. However, over 4.5 years after assuming office, they have failed to deliver on that promise. Instead, they staged an elaborate handing-over ceremony just two weeks before a general election, claiming to have “returned” the hospital—when the truth is, the transition from a crumbling, makeshift stadium to a fully operational healthcare facility is still far from complete.
Recently, the Prime Minister further attempted to lower public expectations by stating that the government promised to deliver a building, not a fully operational and commissioned hospital. This last-minute redefinition of promises is a transparent attempt to rewrite history and dodge responsibility for the ongoing delays and failures. It is a political maneuver designed to fool the electorate and cling to power by avoiding accountability.
The people have been trapped in a farce, forced to endure medical care in the dilapidated George Odlum National Stadium for nearly 16 years—a facility wholly unfit for purpose. Picture the stark, cramped conditions where patients cling to hope amid peeling paint and decaying infrastructure, where nurses, doctors, and staff labor under crushing pressure with inadequate resources, battling burnout as they strive to provide care with dignity and compassion. Privacy is a luxury, efficiency is compromised, and lives hang in the balance.
This is not just about bricks and mortar. It is gross political ineptitude stitched with blatant betrayal. Promises were made to win votes, then conveniently reneged to cling to power. The so-called handover was a scripted political show to fool the electorate—downplaying decay, sidestepping responsibility, and silencing accountability. Funds have flowed like water—over $265 million spent, a $203 million loan acquired—and still, the hospital is incomplete, the people stranded.
Behind closed doors are whispers of mismanagement and unexplained expenditures. Officials point fingers, blame predecessors, and dodge hard questions while health workers and patients pay the price. This government’s charade is a stark indictment of leadership that values appearances over people.
The time to tolerate this betrayal has passed. On December 1st, the people of St. Lucia must rise up and demand change—not with protests alone, but with the power of their vote. The United Workers Party stands ready to restore accountability, rebuild trust, and deliver the healthcare system promised so long ago.
Enough is enough. Vote the UWP for real change. Vote to reclaim dignity, professionalism, and the health rights of every citizen. Let the St. Jude Hospital saga be the final chapter of deception and the first page of hope.
Your vote is your voice-use it wisely. Vote United Workers Party for true change.