Meeting to be held to discuss closure of Marigot Hospital

File photo of the Marigot Hospital which was originally shut down in 2014 due to termite infestation
File photo of the Marigot Hospital which was originally shut down in 2014 due to termite infestation

A meeting is planned in Marigot this afternoon to discuss the closure of the Marigot Hospital.

The meeting is to take place at the Marigot Credit Union Conference Room at 5:30 pm.

DNO understands the hospital was shut down and all health concerns are being addressed at the Wesley Health Center.

The Marigot Hospital was first shut down in 2014 because of a severe termite infestation.

At a press conference on May 6, 2015, Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux said a new hospital for Marigot is on the cards because it is a policy decision of the government.

“Building a new hospital for Marigot is still a policy decision that the government has undertaken,” he said. “If you look at the Labour Party administration manifesto, a new hospital for Marigot is to be built for a number of reasons.”

Meanwhile, MP for Marigot Lennox Linton said that the government is using the Marigot Hospital to play politics with the United Workers Party.

“So the Marigot Hospital now has become an avenue where they are hoping to embarrass Lennox Linton by talking about whether or not he is representing the interest of his constituency,” he said on Q95 on Wednesday.

Many callers to the Q95 said they will be taking action to have the matter addressed.

DNO is following this developing story and will publish information as it becomes available.

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60 Comments

  1. KID ON THE BLOCK
    June 9, 2016

    Does Marigot has a PR? if EVER that PR is a FAIEN…A damn LAZY ONE too!

  2. Reasoning
    June 9, 2016

    One can easily determine the mentality and of the people who supports this deceptive rogues in government,by the constituency this rogue government wins.Try engaging any one of those people politically and on issues of governance and none of them will be able to have a reasonable conversation.Most if not all of them has a clue as to what’s happening in the country,they have no demand for anything substantial in their communities,except for when they are hungry.They won’t even see the importance of the Marigot hospital with the airport close by.All their level of reasoning are limited to is Marigot is UWP.As a matter of fact, most of them have no use for the airport as they may never get to set foot there.These people are only existing from hands to mouth and a proper meal is usually a struggle for them.These people do not even have the foresight to see that the heart and centre of the economy and country does not support this illegal rogue government.Marigot i’m in solidarity with…

  3. JDavid
    June 9, 2016

    UWP supporters stop treating Mr Linton like a baby. Whether the Government doing it maliciously or not the point is Mr Linton is the PR. He supposed to serve his people. If that Hospital was in Portsmouth under the late R. Douglas when he was in opposition that hospital would never reach that deplorable state. If is outside Mr Douglas had to go to some organisation so as to donate whatever it is to fix or even build a new hospital he would do it for his people. You can give the Government fire but you have to do what you suppose to do, and that is serve your people. Mr Linton doesn’t do anything for Marigot. You are the Parliamentary Representative and the Leader of the Opposition of a country. Use that as leverage and go out there and negotiate on behalf of your people. Use that as an opportunity to show people what you can do. You cannot just wait until you become Prime Minister for you to start doing real work for your people; it will never work.

    • woodants
      June 9, 2016

      JDavid..do u have a brain at all..think of what r u saying..their is a health Ministry with a Minister and other senior officials what r they getting paid for…

      Dominica is selling so many passports why r not the funds going into areas of importance..

      you see why dominica will continue to be the fools paradise of the world…we must face facts….it’s poor governance,,,,stop doing the blame game bro, over 124Million dollars from Passports sales aren’t you as a citizen concerned about these issues…

      a bajan guy told me that dominicans are educated fools…thus them rating as the poorest in the eastern caribbean, with a dunce regime in power…….

      • JDavid
        June 9, 2016

        It is a shame that you had to include insults in your reply. Nonetheless I will ignore your insults but if you read my post carefully you will realise that I am not taking out the responsibility entirely off the Government by me saying that “you can give the Government fire…” However a true aspiring leader should not only look to others to fix or make something better; he should see a challenge and use it as an opportunity to help his people and prove his self. He is the PR of Marigot and an aspiring leader of the country so he has to show it. More often than not people are ‘wanting’ to give Linton a chance but Linton must show them what he can do first, and unfortunately he hasn’t been taking the opportunities to show his worth. He has been failing and people are realising his shortcomings. So for UWP’s own good, put pressure on Linton to actually serve his people or change him. His political time seems to be ending as more and more people are getting frustrated with his behavior.

      • South Beach
        June 9, 2016

        JDavid do u have a functioning brain what is the regime there for…the have a ministry which looks about health on the island…they have a budget in place…

        that’s why dominica is label the fools paradise..because you don’t deal with the hard issues….it’s bad governance anywhere once your health sector is falling…

        get off your ignorance hat….u dunce cat….

    • %
      June 9, 2016

      Typical DLP idiots…You sound like a groveller,lazy and unemployed..Go read over the GARBAGE that you have written.

    • Ex da lawman
      June 9, 2016

      Negotiate with who?.You know well the government will not work with him for political reason.Bottom line is they are sacrificing an entire constituency because of one man.There’s money available for celebration but not for an important such as the marigot hospital. The amount of money spent on campaign could build the hospital.The pm has free access to the people’s money without giving any account. How do you compete with that? Amazing how some people are blind to reality.Dominique is in more serious trouble than I thought.What a country.

    • Lang Mama
      June 9, 2016

      Unbelievable!!!. These are the same peop6who support the blockade of the Danny Lugay and company Linfo Park project.
      Rosie Douglas nrver build anything while he wad in opposition. Rosie did help other areas.

    • viewsexpressed
      June 10, 2016

      That is the most illiterate and stupid message I have read on this matter. The writer has failed or is ignorant of the political and historical nature of this hospital. Politically the hospital has been left to deteriorate deliberately from the time of Edison as Parl Rep.
      If JDavid had any common-sense he would have risen above this gutter politics and this crap he wrote to look at the bigger picture and recognise that the Marigot Hospital does not only serve the people of Marigot but surrounding villages and importantly the Melville Hospital. Therefore this corrupt lead Skerrit Labour party government is visionless, spineless and talk nonsense. Like all other inept, corrupt, rotten government this Labour Party Government is the worse we have seen in Dominica and with their uneducated acolytes they are killing us Dominicans softly.

  4. June 9, 2016

    Another big blow for the poor people in Dominica..

  5. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    June 9, 2016

    The Marigot Hospital has been there for over a hundred years serving people from Castle Bruce, all of the Carib Reservation, Marigot, Wesley, Woodford Hill, and Calibishe.

    That hospital has saved may life’s. Nevertheless, it took an incompetent boy of forty-four (44) years old to screw it up putting itout of commission, and now we hear about talks to shut it down.

    How ridiculous, how stupid can this be. Wherever their is an Airport, it anticipated aircrafts may crash on landing or take off; we saw shortly after Melville Hall Airport opened a Piper four seater registered in Guadeloupe ran off the Runway on take off, it crashed; the three people aboard, one of them a priest was taken to the Marigot Hospital where they were admitted, and treated, the priest had a broken rib!

    Rather than talking about closing the hospital, improvements should be the plan, either renovate that one or build a new one.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      June 9, 2016

      I suspect somebody ……… is after the land, since that is one of the best building site in Marigot! It is choice flat land of many Acers overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I said it before and I am saying it again we need a revolution in the country.

      When the dynamite exploded in my hand damaging three of my fingers had it not for that Hospital, and Savarin father of that Charles Savarin who overthrow Patrick John, a dispenser station there who stopped the bleeding, I might bleed to death.

      We cannot allow the hospital to close, even if it takes a riot to prevent it from closing!

  6. $$$ man
    June 9, 2016

    Rosie Douglas took jail for equality. Hugo Chavez take his jail, Fidel Castro took his jail as well. All for improving the lives of their people based on the path they believed in. Are these not the same men DLP idolize?
    Charles Savrin shut down Dominica for 49 days for a civil servant wage increase that was never paid by DFP when they took power.
    The opposition in Dominica is weak because Linton just wants to run his mouth and make people foot the bill. When konkum said Edison James had hotel in Barbados and the courts find that was a lie, kumkom take JAIL rather than pay Edison. konkom is a man with balls!! Linton shouldnt have paid those guys!
    https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/crime-court-law/konkom-goes-to-jail/

    We need leaders ready to take jail and do the time. We need strong men. Where was Linton when Salisbury people was protesting?!? People cant follow leaders that just want to reap the reward and not take the blows.

    • viewsexpressed
      June 10, 2016

      We can all look at history and comment in a sentimental way but what we need is objectivity and relative. Mandela took an arms approach to his struggle, he spent over 20 years in jail, then became a respective President. You are just being critical without any sort of advice or alternative therefore you are being personal and lacking in foresight. Again you fail to recognise that the white abusive government in South Africa did not buy black people in Africa therefore this made ANC and Mandela’s struggle more positive. In Dominica poor are bought, disrespected
      You therefore have not said nothing to me and I would suggest you take the lead in your community, start there, because Skerrit has bought and shut up Dominicans with handouts, red clinic, insults and he is not nor has been not a Role model, that role model to lead Dominica out of poverty and into some level of decency and respect for Dominica and Dominicans.
      So you and Skerrit can go to hell…hell….and disrespect the…

  7. June 9, 2016

    Now i need a answer to this question what is the reason for this meeting now when the damage is already done? Toooooooo much dam talk talk then skeritt going to give a promise and as time goes more talk an nothing happening it is sad and unreal but true.It is time for swift action.There was a thing fisher men used to kill fish in the village they do not exit or make them no more however they my be needed to put to use. enough is enough.

  8. joe hy
    June 9, 2016

    While are saying we need a new int.airport,they are calling to build new hospital based on this same airport. Wesley is the area carded for the new airport don,t people feel that any new hospital should bee built in wesley,and a modern health facility facility to be built in marigot.

    • viewsexpressed
      June 10, 2016

      Hey Joe, not really, as long as it is not in Vielle Case for example. It needs close proximity and easy access in and out.

  9. Doc. Love
    June 9, 2016

    The leadership and the people of the Marigot must take a certain amount of blame for what is happening to them as regards the closure of the Marigot Hospital. For years Marigot has been suffering from neglect by the Skeritt led DLP Government. It became worst as from September, 2013, when Mr. Linton moved from being a journalist to being a politician, subsequently, a Parl Rep for the constituency. When the people of Salisbury demonstrated they should have had a demonstration on the very same day, but they allowed that opportunity to pass them by. Had they joined the Salisbury people, they would have sent a strong message to Skeritt that the two constituencies were suffering from the same problems and actions were needed immediately. I don’t expect anything to come out of that meeting today. They are going to threaten Skeritt with an ultimatum, he is going to bulldoze them, and as usual, everyone will do back to sleep and life moves on. Case in point JCCCM.

    • Bosi-eye
      June 9, 2016

      u took the words out of my mouth!!! Mamo is 100x the leader Lennox will ever be! Labour in 1975 had a bigger majority than today but did that prevent she and Charles Savarin from shutting down de island?

      The problem with the Salisbury protest is that it was the people who came together and not the UWP that led. Lennox ‘farid tear gas and jail, you think people would allow for their leader to be arrested?
      But Lennox weak, when the people rose up he not with them, but he want people to waste their day to hold hands doing the kombaya.

      People are ready- I AM READY!!! but I not going to waste my day and in de afternoon everybody finish. Shut down the airport and don’t re-open until work has actually started on the hospital even if it takes weeks- nothing like wait one year. Rosie and Peirro would never allow DFP or UWP to treat Possy/ GrandBay that way. French people shutting down France for less- Marigot people are u AFARID?!!

    • viewsexpressed
      June 10, 2016

      I agree with you, but it is damn you do it, you are divisive, damn you don’t, same issue, you are a trouble maker. It is up to the people of, NOT only Marigot, but Wesley, Woodfordhill, Carib Territory Concorde etc.

  10. hmm
    June 9, 2016

    Well keep it shut down..and areas like Imray ward will continue to overflow while Nurses and doctors at PMH will fall on their faces.
    I am amazed that there are persons like Dr. Darroux, Martin Christmas and Justina Charles on the Cabinet and they sit back and let the rest of the Government abuse the Health Care system like that. Best they take away the title”Dr.” and “Nurse” from you all.

  11. General of labour power
    June 9, 2016

    You all don’t like the Americans but all you like the biscuits. All you don’t like the government but all you want hospital. It’s time to wake up and live. Join the train which is the Dominica labour party and then all will be well. Get off the old wrecked ship and come aboard the sailing ship. The ships that has all the champions onboard. Labour power labour power labour power!!!!!!!

    • Willie
      June 9, 2016

      Join that corruption? You must be kidding!

    • viewsexpressed
      June 10, 2016

      Absolute Rubbish, Absolute No..
      Mandela was challenged he stuck to it. Lennox and UWP and decent Dominicans will not stoop like you and others who encourage, support, promote bobol, corrupt, and abuse of poor and deprived families.

  12. sweetz
    June 9, 2016

    The hospital is greatly needed in marigot.
    Since as the major airport is there we need to have a close hospital in case of emergency. Roseau is too far to rush for emergencies.
    Besides it will serve a wide are from Concord to Calibishie or maybe wider.
    Thus freeing up the space at the princess Margaret hospital which is always out of beds.

    • wilderness
      June 9, 2016

      whom ever disliked this comment must have a serious brain injury. Hope you are not in Marigot!

  13. Fact
    June 9, 2016

    I agree they are using the hospital for political retribution because Marigot does not support the DLP regime.

    • FORKIT
      June 9, 2016

      but they also seem to forget there is an airport close by, god forbids so plane crash and you will hear all the spinners trying to defend their god and savior Roosevelt skerrit….

  14. FED UP
    June 9, 2016

    WHY IS EVERYTHING POLITICAL IN THIS COUNTRY? If a person does not support the party in power – do they not deserve the same rights as other citizens? This is not a dictatorship – OR IS IT? A hospital is needed in the region – build it. That’s what the citizens pay taxes for.

    OMG Dominica this has to stop and you have the power to stop it.

    • Rache
      June 9, 2016

      WELL SAID!

  15. Say What
    June 9, 2016

    Lenox Linton has continually call for boycott, mas demonstration, vote of no confidence, resignation, election laws, written to the Queen regarding Ms. Scotland, and a host of other issues that is irrelevant to the interest of his constituency. Has Lenox Linton ever step into Parliament as ask about the plight of the Marigot Hospital? The personal attacks has gotten him no where, now he is crying foul. The people of Marigot are being victimized by their own PR. Is Lenox working for his constituency or is he working towards being the NOVICE PRIME MINISTER?

    • %
      June 9, 2016

      Your comment is senseless and stupid! Honourable Linton is representing the Marigot constituency,he has to talk at the height of his voice,especially when dealing with a leader like Skerrit..

      • Fcrees
        June 9, 2016

        You Alone that have sense.

    • Tjebe Fort
      June 9, 2016

      Carcon, I don’t really care hat he said, she said, mr. Linton or mr. Skerrit. Illness, accident and diaster does not look at party colour. Can we at least agree on that?

    • NKRUMAH KWAME
      June 9, 2016

      Dear Say What,
      the answer to your question is this: YES. Haven’t you heard him? Well if you haven’t, you surely don’t listen to the debates in parliament or only listen when the govt. side does its presentations.
      HOTEP!

    • ATKINSON
      June 9, 2016

      Well is because the “Dr Supremo, DLP” does not want to talk, debate, or entertain, anything or issues that is is not their agenda, or program. Linton and the UWP, cannot just walking into parliament, and start a debate or ask question about a subject, unless the house speaker, that was chosen by the DLP and is a supporter of the DLP, approves it. As in the past the Linton has to submit his question weeks in advance, i thinks 14 days, then wait, if approve, for the reply when parliament meets, which in dominica that takes months, And “Dr Supremo” does not have too many press conference, where he answer or take questions, When last or how many times has the press secretary, who gets a big salary, held a press conference. So what do you expect Linton to do? So he has to try other methods, But i hope when the DLP is in opposition they do not, cry and complain, of unfairness

    • viewsexpressed
      June 10, 2016

      Whwere have you been……..sleeping in slumber in a corrupt hut. Well wake up. It seems that you have been tuned to Kairi for too long. This is crazy talk you talking….a \Ghost talk, no vision

  16. Buy-Election
    June 9, 2016

    We just had a buy-election in the Soufriere constituency and the DLP did well on their purchase. That election prevented us from information regarding the general election in our sister island of St.Lucia, as to who helped the St. Lucia UWP to defeat the Dr. Anthony powerful labor party. But here is a link that all of us, especially of law officers need to open, so we could see how we ought to assist our country. http://stluciatimes.com/2016/06/08/police-secret-campaign-remove-slp. I hope the local police can help the people of Marigot and all of us by extension with this DLP wicked government that is prepared to do whatever they can to hurt villages and persons that don’t support them

  17. street side
    June 9, 2016

    the issue is that dcans talk allot but they have no results of action, if they were a progressive type, the regime would feel the heat…but they chat too much and disclose their actions, wise people are all about results not useless chat on radio…

    nothing will come out of the meeting just more heated talk as usual, look at how weak they are…Gon Emanuel no action. lindo park no action recent roseau bridge issue lots of talk but zero action, and the evil machine does what it wants…

    dominicans are foolish period, they are looking for some chariot to bring change for them…won’t happen, dcans will continue to be slaves unless they take action to effect change….too much foolish radio chatter…

    • June 9, 2016

      really what is the reason for the meeting when the damage is already done to talk when right now action is needed. Tooooooo much dam talk.

  18. A Osborne
    June 9, 2016

    Marigot needs a hospital dont treat my people like that take politics out of it go out and demonstate people of Marigot

  19. AAGabriel
    June 9, 2016

    This government is evil. They are punishing the people of Marigot for voting UWP. Before elections they are talking about new hospital to get votes. The truth is they do not even have money to renovate the existing one since they squandered all the money in Soufriere. A government that can not even provide the most basic health service to its people should be ashamed of itself and resign.

    • %
      June 9, 2016

      I have always been referring to this Skerrit led DLP as evil….!

  20. IamanIdiot
    June 9, 2016

    Alas, a next seat gone

    • AAGabriel
      June 9, 2016

      I do not agree with you comment but your name is spot on right!

      • IamanIdiot
        June 9, 2016

        Look at the trend…whenever the party in power is interested in a seat things magically happen. A few weeks ago…when Roseau South was in a scandal, didnt they send a Josiah Benoir (whatever his name is ) to talk about projects for Roseau south blah blah blah ? Few weeks ago, Jungle bay found a new home in Soufriere and the PM saying on Radio “bringing work to the Village” like Jungle bay is his place.

        You need to realize that the PM is playing chess here…

  21. Favoured
    June 9, 2016

    While we at that the people of Goodwill want their Lindo Park Project now. We fedup time to release our project. The youth in Roseau Central want our practice ground. Alvin Bernard you promise us the back of the stadium how many years now all you tired fool us, enough is enough, and we the youth of Kingshill want our playing field no more excuses. In less than one month you all could find 3 million to campaign for a bi-election; you all could find 18 million for a bridge. Joke is joke now time to call you guys out enough is enough!

  22. My Labourite friends tell me that this is not victimization. They say that they reside in areas considered as Labour strongholds and they too face numerous challenges, They say that development cannot come overnight and that it takes time to secure funding for these major projects. Then after listening attentively I ask this question: After more than 16 years in power would you support a Government that has done absolutely NOTHING to improve the lives and livelihood of the people in your constituency? The response is usually resounding silence. When I posed this question to one of my Labourite neighbors he threatened to burst my head with a shovel. He said: “You with your big house and nice car, you alright already, I’m poor … I have to vote where I can get some money Garcon” then walked into his house and slammed the door in my face. I didn’t even get a chance to explain to him that I am NOT a loyalist of any political party. I just speak on what I see!

    • Watching from the outside
      June 9, 2016

      That is usually the general response from any dcan labourite. They love their PM smfh what a joke

  23. NKRUMAH KWAME
    June 9, 2016

    I thought this day would never come. FINALLY!!! Will be there.
    HOTEP!

  24. What a lot of Government supporters are not aware of is that this (one man) Government has a policy of victimizing constituencies that do not support the policies and practices of t(HIS) Administration. This is particularly true for the two constituencies of Marigot and Salisbury where farm access roads are neglected and ignored, where the road from Pond Case to Melville Hall stops at Hatten Garden, skips the entire Village of Marigot, then resumes at the Melville Hall Bridge by the Airport. Where the Airport sea wall is overwhelmed with high waves that washes down cars and the road with salt water. Where the Marigot Hospital has been neglected and ignored and ultimately left to close its doors due to termite and rodent infestation. Most Dominicans who live in areas favorable to the Government have no idea that this targeted victimization is going on. Thankfully, the farmers and people of Salisbury were brave enough to bring national attention to their plight.

  25. Dominica 31
    June 9, 2016

    But Skerrit aint trying to embarrass u, you are an embarrassment to yourself. As a parl rep what are you doing for the marigot ppl. What have you done since the election for Marigot? Be honest and put all politics aside what is your purpose in dominica?

    • Dorival John
      June 9, 2016

      In any case, what you expect him to do? Lennox has no access to state resources like Skerrit does, so in essence he cannot do much.

      Now Skerrit is going around to Labour Party constituencies giving out money from the resources of the state and make it look like he is doing it due to the goodness of his heart. And idiots like you make it look like Skerrit is taking the money from his own pocket for this constituencies.

      Skerrit is willfully punishing non Labour constituencies by not making state resources available to them, hence the MPs for these areas cannot do much.

      The Marigot Hospital is a state entity and resources from the state must be used to either repair it or fix it.

      • Dominica 31
        June 9, 2016

        During the election didnt Lennox Claim to have friends that he can source cash from. See how quick he got the money to give Pinnard. He cant hold a radiothon for marigot hospital if he had so care?

    • June 9, 2016

      you song like an a hole get lost

    • duggie
      June 9, 2016

      It is and always has been the responsibility of Government to provide health care for people. Dominica 31 stop the BS talk. Over a year the building has been demolished and nothing has been done. Do not blame LL.

    • ATKINSON
      June 9, 2016

      In the Government system we have in dominica, and the other OCES, the opposition, does not have any input, or access, the the tax revenue, to built, repair or start any projects. After Roseau and portsmouth, marigot is the most populated, the people of marigot pay personal taxes, vat, licenses fess, and also the money that the airport makes on exit fees, but the “Dr supremo DLP” does not give, a dime to the Parl rep LInton.That taxations without representations When the UWP try to fix lindo park, with money they obtain, look what happen. The Supremo said the park is government land. and it cannot be touch or fix unless, approve by the DLP government, So what do you expect Linton do do? And if linton goes overseas to get money, the supremo, say it from corrupt people, who will take over dominica.

  26. cameron
    June 9, 2016

    Skerrit grow up man put politics aside,you have the main airport,god forbids a major tragedy happens,the international media will see the true boy you are,come on man.Be a true leader.

  27. LifeandDeath
    June 9, 2016

    Something’s amiss when an $18M bridge is a bigger emergency than replacing a major health facility serving a significant portion of Dominica..It’s about time to stop talking in Dominica..

    btw, who is convening that meeting?

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