No Response from Ministry of Health to Peter Heimlich’s Request

Chief Medical Officer Joy St. John (l) Donville Inniss former minister of health – Source: Barbados Advocate

Three months later a routine query from Peter Heimlich (the son of the man who created the Heimlich manoeuvre) remains outstanding. BU first highlighted this matter in a December, 07, 2012 blog – Asthma Study Conducted at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Questioned. Minister Donville Inniss is currently preparing to contest in a general election on Thursday, Peter Heimlich will likely have to wait a little longer for a response to his query about a medical study using the “Heimlich manoeuvre for asthma” conducted on 67 children.

Here is the letter sent by Peter Heimlich in response to an email request from the minister on Jan 5, 2013. BU wonders why a minister has to be so intimately involved in this matter. This is a routine request which one of the health administrators should have executed on weeks ago.

See a full report on this matter on Heimlich’s blog – The Sidebar.

Question Time Continues for DLP Candidate Donville Inniss (Fiesta Catering International Inc)

Donville Inniss Affidavit (a)

Donville Inniss Affidavit (b)

Donville Inniss Affidavit (c)

Donville Inniss Affidavit (d)

The following was sent to BU and other social media sites.

1. Why did you company Fiesta Catering and its subsidiary sexsearch.com allow minors to register with it?
2. Why did sexsearch.com and your company as co owner get sued by an Ohio man who was arrested for having unlawful sex with a minor in 2007?
3. This was at a time when you were still a director of the company as you disassociated yourself on election day 2008 and put in place your wife.
4. This man made it clear that your website facilitated him in meeting, chatting and arranging the encounter with the said minor.

Donville Inniss Tell Us

QEH 2

QEH 1

In two earlier blogs BU asked Minister of Health Donville Inniss to clarify a couple issues regarding his involvement in a company called Fiesta Catering. He is a public servant and taxpayers deserve some respect if public documents caused us to raise concerns. Instead he used his time on the airwaves last week to direct a tirade at ‘the blogs’.  We are disappointed that he has not addressed our questions, we know he monitors BU.

The fact that traditional media who we know also monitor the blogs have not followed the issue is to be expected.

Here is another matter we hope Minister Inniss will find the time to address. BU understands that Colostomy bags are provided free for patients who have had this procedure. Patients are signing for a high quality bag called Coloplast and the hospital is charged for this but the patients are being provided with a lower quality Generic brand that costs half the price but is charged to the hospital full price.

Minister the question is simple – is the above (in blue) true?

Minister Donville Inniss:The Emergence of Private Healthcare

Donville Inniss – Minister of Health

Peter Wickham, talk show host, pollster and social commentator join many others daily to spare no opportunity to sing the praises of Minister of Health Donville Inniss. Perhaps it explains why he was invited to Inniss’ New Year bash? If in the minds of many Inniss is doing a good job then all credit to him he must be doing some thing  right. Despite the praise being heaped on Inniss BU remains concerned at the state of the healthcare system in Barbados.

In the Christmas message of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners’ (BAMP), President Carlos Chase was highly critical of the management of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH). To quote a local daily newspaper: “BAMP has also slammed the lack of progress in talks between them on ongoing contentious matters. The continuing shortages at the institution came under fire from BAMP too.”  Implied in the report is that the industrial relations climate at the QEH continues to simmer read Alexandra. The QEH is the primary health institution in Barbados which falls under Minister Donville Inniss.

Of wider concern to BU is the emergence of a budding private healthcare system in Barbados. We are not knocking entrepreneurship but BU reserves the right to question and to share our observations in the interest of promoting transparency and encouraging elucidation. A comment on an earlier blog questioned the lack of transparency by government regarding the Al Barrack transaction. It is ironic that more than five years ago the late David Thompson promised an electorate hungry for change that should they win office – and they did – they would introduce a level of transparency in government hitherto unseen. With another general election looming Barbadians have a chance to be judge and jury.

Donville Inniss HC

Donville Inniss – Minister of Health

Of course the DLPites will challenge Barbados Underground (BU) because we are about to ask a few hard questions of a DLP minister. In a recent contribution to debate in parliament Minister Ronald Jones confirmed that ‘the blogs’ are not partial to one political side or the other. BU agrees with Jones, it is an uncompromising characteristic of BU.

Before he [Inniss] became a member of parliament he was involved in managing a portfolio of offshore companies. There was the revelation that a few of the companies included in his portfolio were x-rated websites. Minister Inniss publicly declared when he was challenged by the media that the x-rated websites were no longer part of the stable of companies he had an interest. Further, in keeping with what is required he had ceded the management of his business to others when he was appointed a minister; BU assumes to his wife Gail Williams-Inniss.

In the absence of freedom of information legislation the public is left to accept the word of Minister Inniss. We have no evidence that Inniss has been less than truthful but in the interest of satisfying transparency, the public should have recourse which a FOIA would provide. Regrettably a general election is about to be called and the draft FOIA continues to languish in the office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

The documents attached show that Minister Inniss was served to appear in a matter in Virginia.

Lack of Political Will Shown to Wrestle Illegal Dumping to the Ground

Kammie Holder, Environmentalist

A country is not the concrete structure, people make a country. Much money is spent on health care and education to ensure we are healthy and literate.  Thus many are literate enough to understand the hazards of illegal dumping.  This January 1st, 2013 Nation Newspaper article which is attached speaks of a problem we pay lip service to.

Is there any truth that a petty squabble between two government department stands in the way of  a  Freighters Waste Certification System implementation with hundreds of books already printed? Now, some will say the Minister as CEO of a Ministry should not be blamed. But all blame must lie at his feet as well as his management team so tasked with its implementation.

I can recall a television registration system which supported the television licensing system. Dr Denis Lowe are you telling me with all the brain power of your staff and the Data Processing Department a database cannot be created for a Central Computer Register of large appliances for tracing?

Asthma Study Conducted at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Questioned

Donville Inniss – Minister of Health

A media source – The News Record – which serves the University of Cincinnati (UC) has questioned whether a “potentially controversial study” conducted  at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados, received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at UC.   “The study tested whether or not a modified version of the Heimlich Manoeuvre could stop an acute asthma attack or treat asthma symptoms without contemporary treatment. The subjects’ parents gave consent and the results reported no adverse effects, according to the study. The 67 children who participated were between the ages of six and 16.”

The person asking all the questions is Peter Heimlich, the some of Henry Heimlich who is associated with the Heimlich Manoeuvre. He admits he has not uncovered any evidence of wrongdoing but he wants “to find out if the researchers and funders followed legal and ethical guidelines.” He [Peter Heimlich] is concerned that although Dr. Anne St. John confirmed that IRB approval was received, the name of the  IRB which provided the approval remains a mystery. Peter Heimlich is reported to have sent a communication to Minister Donville Inniss asking for the name of the IRB and when the Ethnics Committee approved the study.

See The News Record report – Questionable Study has UC Ties

Duguid’s Faux Pas an Opportunity Missed

William Duguid MP

The unfortunate comment uttered by William Duguid MP has rightfully upset right thinking Barbadians. We are upset because his comment is reflective of a free fall in values and morals afflicting our society. Yes it was an aside (although not whispered) in parliament  but the public heard so deal with it. It is ironic that Duguid’s tagline sposted on his website is Do Good and good shall attend you…

Days after the incident Duguid apologized. BU joined many Barbadians to applaud him for taking responsibility for his action. In his apology he revealed that he was taunted in a crass way by Minister Donville Inniss, if the grapevine is accurate, it has caused many to sympathize with Duguid while not condoning his behaviour. Minister Inniss will get a chance very soon to test if his political stock has been negatively affected by the episode which occurred last week.

The old people favour a saying that behind every dark cloud is a silver lining. Here was an opportunity for the government and opposition to expose the silver lining. If after this incident members of parliament from both sides of the House had joined hands – figuratively or literally – and condemned the behaviour with the assurance that better would be done. Imagine the potential for positive outcomes if such a scenario had played out on the population of Barbados. Talk about turning a negative into a positive!

Strange BLP Morals

Submitted by Brandford Padmore

William Duguid MP apologizes for outburst

The Democratic Labour Party agrees with the very first line in the BLP’s column last week: “Tuesday, November 20, will go down in Barbadian political infamy as the date when” MP William Duguid showed his and his party’s true colours. His constant taunting of Minister Donville Inniss in Parliament is an almost weekly offensive. The difference this time was that the cameras and mike captured it. Since then, Mr. Duguid’s party has been urging him to issue a public apology “to save face”. This he eventually did three days after his vulgar outburst. But, that apology was self-serving, and was made only because video of the repulsive assault, and the vile and detestable language used, went viral. The “gentleman’s” lame excuse was that he was provoked. Well, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t hurl boulders!

Indeed, we wonder what one would call the constant abuse hurled at Minister Inniss about ownership of an alleged porno website, which local ‘fact-check’ has disproved since 2007; and Mr. Duguid’s assertion that “the Member for St. James South is immoral and can’t qualify as a camp director”. That is what started the to-and-fro.

But, who was really provoked? We wonder! Was it a seasoned two-term MP, whose weekly and weakly slings and arrows at Minister Inniss are like water on a duck’s back, suddenly snapping and going on a tirade, despite the Chair’s earnest pleas to desist? Or, was it a decent, first-term MP who is constantly peppered with vile comments; and whose sotto voce retorts are understandable? After all, he is still human. Watch the video of what transpired, and you be the judge!

Well Done Sandra Husbands!

Submitted by Phoenix

Donville Inniss      (DLP) Sandra Husbands (BLP)

David fights against the giant. Dressed in his simple tunic, carrying his shepherd’s staff, slingshot and a pouch full of stones, David approached Goliath. The giant cursed at him, hurling threats and insults.” Am I a dog that you send this kid to challenge me? “

We all know how the Biblical epic goes. David takes up the challenge and slays big able Goliath with a first time slung stone. Sounds very current and maybe soon familiar as first timer Sandra Husbands etches away into Donville Inniss, a second timer’s territory daily. St.James South constituency was the stomping ground for BLP Liz Thompson before the last elections when Donville dethroned the incumbent by a meagre 311 votes.

Donville Inniss has now had more than four years to rearrange the furniture to suit his end, but how well has he managed to do so is debatable? Husbands has managed to infiltrate, the Don’s accustomed largess and pittance with down to earth solutions for her constituents’ concerns and neighborhood needs. The Don has been using governmental debushing and cleanup resources to the max. Husbands with limited resources, has organized many fund raisers and re-started  The West Terrace community neighborhood watch. She was also instrumental in their crime prevention thrust.

Notes From a Native Son: Physician Heal Thyself

Hal Austin

Introduction:
Recently, the British intellectual and journalist, Will Hutton, asked the question: “How do you successfully break a mistaken and destructive intellectual consensus?” It set me off immediately thinking of the cosy social world and the mental processes in which the political, professional and academic elites in Barbados conspire to converge on the same ideas, which are implemented in much the same way, often by the same people – and, no matter which party is in control, they all expect different results.

Two ideas come to mind: the break of the consensus by the attorney general on the silly and ill-advised decision to plant taxpayers’ money in to the Four Seasons project, which he rightly sees as a private investment which should be let to private investors. The other is equally as irresponsible, the decision to build a spanking new Bds$800m hospital in Kingsland. Both ideas are loopy and reveal the poverty of our policy-making, especially when it comes to major capital projects.

First, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, opened to the public in 1963, which competent and firm management cannot sort out. What patients are complaining about are issues such as time-wasting, spending hours before being seen by a doctor in Accidents and Emergencies, of under-productive nurses spending time on the wards talking to each other while surgical patients are in pain and crying out for help, over-paid and arrogant, sometimes even questionably competent, doctors being on the public payroll while spending their time looking after their private patients. The list goes on. So, to the ordinary man and woman in the street, the real problem at the QEH is not the building, although that us falling apart, but what goes on inside the building.

Is Senator Sandiford-Garner On-board With Kingsland?

Submitted by John Dillinger

Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner

Now isn’t it ironic that the parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Health, Senator Virginia Irene Sandiford-Garner happens to be the DLP candidate for St. Andrew, yet her administration takes a decision to site the new general hospital in Christ Church? Totally disadvantaging the folks in the northern parishes encompassing St. Andrew, St. Peter, St. Lucy (DLP stronghold held by Minister Denis Kellman), St. Joseph, St. Thomas and St. James.

Does the DLP really plan on making any inroads into the constituencies in these parishes? Certainly that decision to site the new general hospital will impact on Senator Sandiford-Garner’s chances as DLP candidate for St. Andrew in the next general election. Wait a second…was not her specific function as dictated by the late PM David Thompson the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital? By deciding to move ahead with a new general hospital, does it signify that the goodly Senator has failed in her role to redevelop the QEH?

Proposed Location Of New Hospital Announced … No So Fast Mr. Minister!

Submitted by Crusoe

Donville Inniss – Minister of Health

Yesterday we heard the Minister of Health, Donville Inniss, indicate that the site chosen for the new $800MM hospital is in Kingsland. Firstly, I state that I am pleased that Donville Inniss has taken an open approach to the blogs, by choosing to comment. I also think that Donville has a good political future. However, there are issues related to the new hospital and its location, that I wish to highlight, as relevant to all projects.

Firstly, on the point of location, we are told that relevant stakeholders have discussed this, or at least the news report refers to the Town Planning etc. My question is, how can relevant stakeholders be seen to be consulted, when the citizens of the country have not had an input? This is not a canteen at a school, where the head and Board or Ministry can decide. This is an $800 million facility, the only major one, for the country. I am not saying that a referendum is necessary, but certainly town hall meetings and a public panel (we so love commissions and panels) is actually relevant here. Can we see a preliminary report, that demonstrates why the site is suitable as agreed by Government, Town Planning, doctors, the QEH administration?