In what may be remembered as one of the most emotionally resonant moments in recent parliamentary history, His Excellency Sir Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles, Governor General of Saint Lucia, announced during Tuesday’s Throne Speech that the reconstruction and commissioning of St Jude Hospital is imminent, bringing long-overdue hope to a community that has waited nearly a generation for closure.
“For the patients, doctors, nurses, and support staff of Saint Jude Hospital, the time is nigh — Saint Jude Hospital will be completed and commissioned,” Sir Charles declared, offering a long-awaited assurance to a nation that has grown weary of broken promises.
The speech, delivered in the Parliament Building in Castries at the opening of the Fifth Session of the Twelfth Parliament, struck a deeply human chord as it tackled the issue that has haunted the south of the island since 2009, when a devastating fire gutted the original hospital structure.
“It has been a source of public angst and disappointment that, after over fifteen years since the fire destroyed the hospital, we have yet to complete its reconstruction,” the Governor General acknowledged candidly.
His words carried the weight of a collective frustration — of families forced to travel miles for basic care, of medical professionals working in makeshift facilities, and of a community long made to feel forgotten. In a political landscape often marked by vague timelines and shifting accountability, Sir Charles’ directness offered a rare sense of clarity and promise.
The Governor General made it clear that the commitment to healthcare does not end at St Jude. In the same breath, he announced structural and systemic investments aimed at fortifying Saint Lucia’s overall healthcare delivery.
“To enhance the services offered and the bed capacity of the country’s main health facility, OKEU Hospital, my government will be undertaking the construction of the 5th finger of this hospital,” he said, underscoring a broader mission to strengthen public healthcare infrastructure.
Moreover, he outlined the planned expansion of the Universal Health Care Programme, which has already begun delivering targeted screenings for cervical, prostate, and kidney diseases. The initiative will be deepened and integrated, Sir Charles noted, “to allow for greater efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of health care.”
“The expansion of the programme will enable my government to deliver on its promise to provide quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible,” he added. Consultants have been engaged and are actively collaborating with healthcare stakeholders to ensure the plan moves from policy to practice.
