The Communications specialist at the newly completed St. Jude Hospital is forcefully rejecting opposition claims of an electrical problem at the medical facility, calling the allegations “baseless, reckless, and politically motivated.”
St. Jude Hospital Communications Specialist Jade Brown dismissed the rumors outright, accusing United Pac of manufacturing crises to attack the government and undermine public confidence in the island’s health sector.
Brown detailed ongoing progress at the facility, contradicting any suggestion of malfunction or hazard.
“As recently as yesterday, we opened and commissioned the physiotherapy department,” she said. “We are looking to commission the laundry department later this week, and in the coming weeks you will see the opening of the kitchen as promised.”
She added that St. Jude Hospital is a state-of-the-art, internationally certified facility, and noted that the contractor remains on site only because phases of equipment are still being delivered, unpacked, and installed.
“This comes with the territory and the season we are in,” Brown continued. “People should expect the unexpected from the opposition.”
On Friday morning, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre issued a stern defense of the facility and the island’s emergency and safety personnel, asserting that every inch of St. Jude Hospital was rigorously inspected, verified, and certified by trained professionals.
Pierre said the opposition’s behavior was not merely political, but an assault on the work and credibility of the Saint Lucia Fire Service and other inspectors tasked with ensuring the hospital meets national and international standards.
The Prime Minister accused the opposition of “desperation” and reminded the public that the party now raising objections failed to complete the hospital during its time in office.
The alleged electrical issue, widely circulated on social media by opposition operatives, has not been substantiated by any official agency. No fire service report, engineering assessment, or internal hospital review has identified any electrical fault, spark, or malfunction.
Government officials say this latest rumor fits a pattern of political attempts to sow public fear around the hospital, despite the facility’s ongoing phased commissioning and expanding patient services.
As new departments continue to open, staff settle into the upgraded facility, and critical services roll out, both government and hospital leadership insist that St. Jude Hospital is on track and that no amount of political distortion will reverse that progress.
Brown stressed that “Everything is running smoothly. Everything is compliant. The hospital is open, operating, and delivering for the people of Saint Lucia.”
