Dear Sir,

During the Christmas holidays, I was having a great time visiting friends and family until Boxing Day night.

We were all saying how we were really enjoying the holidays, but as we sat and talked, a young man came in and joined the table of ongoing talks. As we talked, someone asked him how was his mother, who is housebound and mobile only via her wheelchair.

He said that she was fine now after getting her medication from the pharmacy at the hospital.

When he told of the horrible experience he went through to get the medication, it was hard to believe. But, knowing the young man and his high level of integrity, I know he will not lie about the situation.

According to him, he had tried all the pharmacies and found out that the only pharmacy open was at the hospital, so he took his mom to the emergency room to register her as an outpatient in order to get the medication.

The nurses were very hostile to him, and trying to get them to understand his dilemma and their bad attitudes was not helping. After much dialogue between them and him, they proceeded to call around to local pharmacies, only to find that he was telling the truth.

This young man hardly raises his voice. He said he just remained calm during the whole time that these two nurses carried on with their hostile attitudes.

If this young man was one with an attitude such as theirs, I am quite sure the police would have had to be called because in a situation like this, family can get very upset, particularly when their mother is expecting care and the people they are expecting to help are the biggest hindrance.

After a long struggle, it was resolved, but he was not a happy man. As he wrestled with this, he told us of another dilemma with his mom a couple of months earlier when she was admitted to hospital and he went to visit her.

It was about five o’clock when he arrived and she told him she needed to be changed. He reported this to the desk and they told him that someone will tend to it. Being attentive as he is to his mom, he stayed and chatted and waited.

As it got up to eight o’clock, and abiding by house rules, he reported the situation again and left.

The next day he checked his mom and he asked her what time did they get to her. She told him it was not until after ten that night that they changed her.

I would like for some of you readers to tell of your experiences with our hospital because, during that same night, two other persons told theirs and it was horrifying to listen to.

It is a very irresponsible situation when some people hired are not the responsible people they are supposed to be and they seem to be accountable to no one.

The administrator should be making rounds just like the nurses to ensure that things are under control and people are being cared for as they should be.

They should earn the wages they are being paid because from what I see throughout all the governments there is a whole lot of highly paid people who are accountable to no one. So what we have is complete chaos and this is just one case that I am writing about.

In the past 60-odd years, I have seen and heard so many stories about government. It is a shame and no one seems to care.

As I close, let me refer to Michael Fahy, as he was hellbent on people getting certificates to become qualified for work. I want to ask him where do politicians get qualified? For all the years I have been here, they become partially qualified by trial and error at the cost of the taxpayers.

Shame on, shame on, shame on this country for the price we pay for poor returns.

A.E. WENDELL HASSELL

Sandys