Sixteen years after a devastating fire forced the evacuation of St Jude Hospital and plunged the nation into one of its most protracted reconstruction efforts, the newly completed facility has finally been handed over to the Government of Saint Lucia.
The ceremony, held on Sunday 16 November 2025, marked the official transfer of the hospital to the Ministry of Health by contractor Rayneau Gajadhar of CIE Ltd.
Gajadhar opened his remarks with a simple declaration of completion.
“First of all, let me just say, Prime Minister, we did it. We did it,” he told the gathering.
He recalled the moment Prime Minister Philip J Pierre tasked him with delivering the long-awaited project.
“Prime Minister Pierre called me and said to me, Rayneau, the only thing I’m asking you for is to get this hospital completed for the people. I said, boss, that’s all? He said, yes, that’s all I will ever ask of you. And I did it. I’m happy I did it.”
He credited his team for pushing the project to completion despite obstacles.
“I did it with the help of all of my staff. I have Mr. Joshi. Without Mr. Joshi, I would have been a loose cannon. The people who are managing this project, had it not been for Joshi, I don’t know how I would have handled them. They said I was too rough. I do everything out of a way. I don’t follow rules. But had I done any one of these, this would have been a four year period.”
Gajadhar described the pressures of financing and delays. “Up to now, sometimes I cannot even sleep at night because my wife hasn’t got paid. But we are here,” he said, while also thanking Dr Patrick Joseph for early guidance. “He said, Rayneau, don’t worry. Just make this thing happen. I will help you.”
Senior Minister for Infrastructure and former Prime Minister Stephenson King reflected on the tragedy that began the long journey. He recounted receiving the call in the early hours of September 9, 2009.
“Sixteen years ago, I was awakened to the news delivered via telephone by a patriotic worker of St Jude’s Hospital at about 1.30 in the morning with a voice of panic indicating our beloved St Jude Hospital was ablaze,” he said.
King described arriving at the scene: “On my arrival at 3.30 in the morning, the gravity of the disaster that greeted me was very apparent. It was heart wrenching.”
He praised the response of hospital staff, emergency personnel and community members. “The display of the highest level of national spirit and professionalism by the staff of St Jude Hospital, the police, fire service personnel, and community members stood out as a great inspiration at that moment in time. Our nation will forever be indebted to those individuals.”
Former Prime Minister and Vieux Fort South MP Dr Kenny Anthony turned his attention to the workers who kept the hospital functioning through difficult conditions.
“If ever there were a group of workers in this country who needed the thanks of a grateful nation, it’s the workers at St Jude’s,” he said. He urged the government to honour them at the commissioning. “The workers at St Jude need a special reward.”
Dr Anthony also reflected on the cost of the prolonged reconstruction, calling it “the most expensive public sector project ever undertaken in this country.”
He traced spending under multiple administrations, noting figures from twenty million dollars under the former prime minister, over one hundred twenty million under his government, and an estimated one hundred sixty million on the latter phase.
“This tells us everything that is wrong about our politics in this country,” he said, while acknowledging the outcome. “The result is we now have this sophisticated, well-equipped hospital that compares with any hospital anywhere in the Caribbean.”
Health Minister Moses Jn Baptiste paid tribute to the staff, families, and patients who persevered through relocation and uncertainty.
“We thank you for your sacrifice. We thank you for your service. We thank you for your perseverance,” he said. He also highlighted the leadership across administrations.
“Thanks to the leaders who never gave up. Honorable Stephenson King, Honorable Kenny Anthony, and now Honorable Philip J. Pierre.”
Jn Baptiste said the government remains committed to strengthening healthcare.
“That is what you call heroism. That is what you call people-focused action. Our pledge as a government is to continue to improve the healthcare sector. And what you see here today is just a very small example.”
Prime Minister Pierre centered his remarks on remembrance and national unity. “A site where tragedy once occurred. A place that tested our faith and our patience. And now, a place reborn and rebuilt through perseverance, unity, and love of country,” he said.
He honoured the three individuals who died in the 2009 fire: “Three souls whose memory we honor today. Their loss reminds us that healthcare is not just about bricks and mortar. It’s about people. It’s about life.”
Pierre urged the nation to reject division as it reflects on the long reconstruction.
“Today is not about politics. It’s not about blame. It’s not about pointing fingers or debating figures,” he said. “Being Saint Lucian should not be defined by anger, discord, or misinformation, but by compassion and shared humanity that keep us united.”
The handover marks the final step before commissioning. It opens a new chapter for healthcare in the south of the island, closing one of the longest and most emotionally charged public projects in Saint Lucia’s history.