With public discourse heating up over the status of the St. Jude Hospital, former Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. Anthony has stepped forward to provide a definitive explanation of the difference between “handing over” a hospital and “commissioning”, two terms widely used but often misunderstood in recent public debate.
Speaking during Sunday’s ceremony marking the official handover of the reconstructed St. Jude Hospital, Dr. Anthony stated that much of the confusion dominating talk shows, social media, and political commentary stems from a lack of clarity on what each term legally and operationally means. “The Prime Minister is absolutely right to make a distinction between a handing over of a building and the commissioning of a building,” he said. “A handover is no more than confirmation that the contractual obligations have been met. The contractor has delivered.”
According to Dr. Anthony, the handover of the hospital simply signals that the construction phase is complete. All structural obligations, renovations, and physical works for which the contractor was engaged have been fulfilled.
It is, he stressed, a construction milestone, not a functional one.
“Handover signals completion of contractual obligations. The contractor has rehabilitated the building he found and delivered it as required.”
The former Prime Minister then contrasted this with commissioning, which he described as the process that ensures the hospital can safely and effectively begin operations. “Commissioning has to do with ensuring that all equipment is installed, ensuring that all the equipment is functional, ensuring that all the systems of the hospital are in place and that the hospital is ready to receive its patients.”
Commissioning includes the installation and testing of medical equipment; verification of power, oxygen, water, IT, and emergency systems; ensuring staffing, training, and workflow readiness; obtaining safety certifications; completing final health inspections; and conducting trial operational runs. Only after all these steps can the hospital open its doors.
The distinction has become especially important amid intense public scrutiny surrounding St. Jude. Many citizens celebrated the event as the official opening of the hospital, while others accused the government of delaying its operational readiness.
Dr. Anthony noted that this confusion reflects a lack of national understanding regarding the technical and administrative processes of major public facilities.
He also emphasized that the government’s approach, publicly recognizing the handover, then continuing preparations for commissioning, is the correct and internationally recognized procedure.
“Commissioning means the hospital is ready to accept not just some, but all its patients. This is the stage that ensures safety, functionality, and proper service to the people.”
Dr. Anthony urged the public to appreciate both milestones for what they represent; the end of a long construction phase and the beginning of final preparations for a modern, fully functional regional hospital.
He reassured Saint Lucians that the handover marks significant progress, and that commissioning is the critical final step to ensure quality healthcare delivery.
