Submitted by Anthony Davis

The fear of inordinately long waits at polyclinics and the QEH’s Accident and Emergency, and the current economic climate is forcing Barbadians to present at some medical facilities in the late stages of their illnesses. And, for one of the island’s leading emergency healthcare specialists, Dr. Brian Charles, this is a cause for concern.

“They are holding back because they don’t have the disposable income. They are holding back and they are hoping for the best; hoping that they get better before they actually have to come and see the doctor. This is not a good thing . . . but, if you don’t have the money to come, you don’t want to go to the Accident and Emergency Department at the QEH and wait. Likewise, you don’t want to have to go to the polyclinic and wait or go to have to get an appointment for a week, maybe two down the road.  What choice do you have?”, he questioned – Source: Barbados Today, page 9 21 November 2013 edition

I cannot believe that this is the depth to which Barbados has sunk!

How many leagues under the sea is this?

Some of our people do not know where the next meal is coming from!

Some of them do not know if, and when, they will find employment!

And now, some of them cannot go to the doctor because of the lack of a disposable income – and even some of those who do, because the money may be needed for a different purpose!

However, this does not faze our Minister of Finance, or anyone else in this Government, as long as they are being paid at our expense – and can even fly overseas for medical treatment, if necessary!

This interview with Dr. Charles left me with a sickening feeling – especially that I know that it is likely to get worse before it gets better!

Recently the CEO of the QEH, Dr. Dexter James, said “that even though the institution’s finances had been reduced by $35million, patients could “most definitely” expect the same high standard of care they had grown accustomed to over time”.

Dr. James, we do not need your platitudes!

We know that you must say something like that!

If the overtime has been cut back, does that not mean that, if a nurse’s/doctor’s shift ends at five, and her/his relief is not there yet, or does not turn up for whatever reason, patients will have to wait longer to be seen/looked after, or get appointments which could be crucial to their health?

Now that we have this report, I wonder what excuse the Minister of Finance will find, and if he will stand his ground about the slicing and dicing he is performing all over this country – especially in health and education!

Mr. Minister of Finance, Malcolm X once said: “Education is the passport to the future. Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

Pray tell me, Mr. Minister: What sort of education are students of the BCC Language Centre getting after all their temporary teachers have been made redundant, and that burden has been placed on the permanent ones for the same pay as they received when the temps were there to help them?

Do you know how difficult it will be, for example, for language teachers to be teaching first and second year students various languages – especially if the combination includes German?

Can you imagine the stress under which you have placed those teachers and their students?

Where you once had one tutor for literature and another for grammar, you now have both in one and that is NOT good at all, because the person who taught German literature was German and, in this case, was the best person so to do!

Do you care what kind of education our children receive?

Do you care about the health of the populace of this country?

I guess not, otherwise you would not have made such unkind cuts in the funding for the QEH and the polyclinics, and our education system!

I surmise that you will also stand your ground on these issues!

Health and education are of paramount importance!

Your education was paid for by the tax payers of this country, and now you want to deprive the poor, the needy, and the vulnerable of theirs!

Your selfishness is consummate!

We are still awaiting the Prime Minister’s word on his Minister of Finance’s handling of our economic affairs – especially in light of Standard and Poors’ latest downgrade of Barbados, and Moody’s “cautioning against celebrating Sandals’ presence because of the cost to Barbados which has not been tallied, and because “it’s too early to tell”!