St.Kitts and Nevis PM, Dr. Timothy Harris at Wednesday’s monthly press conference, vehemently denied that there was any stem cell project at the JNF, but lauded the regenerative medicine project that had been criticized by the outgoing CMO, Dr. Patrick Martin.
Dr Harris indicated that the JNF Project had all the relevant protocols and legal frame work and that no legal, ethical or moral platforms had been violated. Contrary to the viewpoint and stance taken by the opposition SKNLP on this matter, PM Harris supported the position put forward by Senator Wendy Phipps that the Ministry of Health had engaged in consultation with key medical personnel in SKN, the Caribbean and internationally before bringing the project to the JNF Hospital.
He stressed that there was over sight by the JNF Head of Staff Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, Dr Archibald and Matron Daley. Harris was emphatic that there was no Stem Cell project at the hospital. The SKN Pm, also distanced himself and the project from a Peter Nygard, whom Dr. Harris said was a friend of former Pm Dr. Denzil Douglas, and who has been described by the Guardian Newspaper of the Bahamas as “ a would be Stem Cell entrepreneur”.
Meanwhile appearing on Wednesday Freedom Fm’s Issues ,Opposition Leader Dr. Denzil Douglas said the holding of the Pm press conference at the same time as their appearance on Freedom Fm, was to attempt to silence the voice of the opposition.
Dr Douglas denied the claim made by Dr Harris that he had engaged Peter Nygard to bring the Stem Cell program to St.kitts and had taken trips in Nygard’s private jet.Meanwhile the recently appointed Ag. CMO, Chief of Staff Cameron Wilkinson addressed the federation in repeated broadcasts before the PM’s press conference.
Dr Wilkinson said that he had to deal with the fallout from Dr Martin’s action at the JNF when he stopped a procedure and ordered an unlicensed foreign doctor from the premises if the JNF.