A Union Island man died at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) Saturday evening, three days after being stabbed during an altercation.
Dead is Richardo Stewart, 35, of Jerome, a village in the southern Grenadines island.
His mother, Jacinta Stewart told iWitness News on Sunday that she understands that her son was stabbed at a bar and restaurant in Ashton, the island’s main town.
Stewart said she understands that her son was keeping the company of the female bartender when another man from the island entered the business place.
She said she was told that her son ordered some food and the man asked him to pay for something for him.
Richardo reportedly refused and an altercation ensued, leading to the man stabbing him to the left side of his head, behind his left ear, and to his back.
Stewart said that she and her son live in different houses on the same compound and she learned on Thursday morning that he had been injured and was warded at the hospital on the island.
She said she chartered a plane and flew her son to St. Vincent on Friday, arriving at Argyle International Airport shortly after 7 a.m., after the 20-minute flight.
Stewart said her son was lying on a wall outside the airport for more than 30 minutes before an ambulance arrived.
He was taken to the Stubbs Polyclinic, then transferred, around 3 p.m., to MCMH, the nation’s main healthcare facility.
At MCMH, Stewart underwent surgery and was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.
Stewart said a doctor called around 6 p.m. saying her son had died.
She said the doctor said her had damaged kidneys, punctured intestines and had developed an infection.
The mother said that she understands that the man who reportedly inflicted the stab wounds on her son has been on the run since.
With the death of her older child, Stewart now has a 33-year-old son.
This is shameful the ambulance should have been there waiting for him. I am sure they had advance warning that a patient was on the way. What a shame, that is why I am never going to leave my sweet Canada to relocate to St Vincent. The MCMH should be called a cemetery.
You all so proud of being elected to a non-permanent seat in the UN. This is clearly a misfit. It’s like firing blanks. Please give back the seat to a more deserving country. I know this will offend some bleeding heart liberals or neo -socialist on the site.
Find that man and jail him for life and only one meal per day and sometimes none once the story is true
An injured man had to wait half an hour after a 20 minute flight from a grenadine island to get medical assistant for a life threatening injury that eventually cost him his life? What if this was a a passenger on a LIAT flight? Nuff said
AM DO SORRY FOR UR LOST
MAY GOD GIVE U THE STRENGTH TO GO ON
HOPE THERE CATCH THE GUY SOON
Our condolences and sympathy goes out this poor grieving mother on her most terrible and unexpectedly gross loss of her son. But herein lies part of our nation’s problems that others here refuse to accept. Note:
This sad mother had to;
a) Charter an aircraft herself, for reasons that is quite obvious to us all! And most distressfully,
b) That injured son most sadly in addition, and to our nation’s shame, her son was lying on a wall outside of our Airport for more than 30 minutes before an Ambulance did eventually arrive! What puerile excuse will be now give this mother? https://www.iwnsvg.com/2019/06/11/svgs-un-staff-to-get-6-more-members/
Wherein lies our nation’s most important priorities? Is good health care and personal security for the nation overriding others? https://www.iwnsvg.com/2019/06/14/british-couple-shot-in-st-vincent/ we sure have enough immediate problems on our plate!
I see neglect…..
Very sad … with quick efficient care this man could have survived… smh
FRIGHTENING AND SHOCKINGLY DISGRACEFUL
Is there not a Police Station on Union Island? Was the incident reported to the Police. Had it been so reported, then the police know that they would have to take charge of everything.
They would have known that,
(i) ….they were dealing with a serious crime; and
(ii) …Foremost in in ensuring that the victim got urgent medical attention, if only initially at the
Clinic on Union Island.
Now, it begs the questions,
(i) ‘…Why was it left to his mother to charter an aircraft to fly him to mainland St. Vincent?
(ii) …Why was he not accompanied by some official care-giver, (nurse) with I/V treatment on
his way over?
(iii) …Why was there not in place an ambulance on standby at the ‘AIA’ to await the injured
man?
(iv) …Why was he left to lie on the wall as irrefutably pictured to await a 30 minute-late arrival
ambulance?’
Though perhaps ‘…no direct fault of the police or medical authorities,’ on social media, this still appears ‘… Frightening and Shockingly Disgraceful,’ that a seriously injured man should be treated in such an inhuman manner,
The handling of this matter clearly necessitates some investigation that there may be no future repetition.
This is wickedness you want to tell me that someone couldn’t even afford a helping hand to this man, shame an you people that see this man laying there die in an no one help, where is the human heart, their is no love for one another anymore, God have mercy on your people
The people in the Islznd are too self centered No more caring people in this Life. These last days people are so SELFISH BIAS AND MEAN THE word LOVE HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING TO SOME OF US . The Government should pay more ATTENTION to Healthcare and have more efficient people dealing in these areas……Thank you
This is very sad. It is part of the inefficiencies of the emergency services in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Such laid back altitude cripples and render many public and emergency services in the Caribbean useless. This matter should have been handled by the nurse in Union Island. Had this been done, the the gentleman’s departure from union Island would have coincide with the ambulance departure from the hospital.
It’s unbelievable that at this stage we do not have a 911 Emergency Dispatch that can assist in prioritizing responses in these cases. Some Vincentians get offended when you point out these short comings. Ideas likes these are constructive solutions. They are meant to improve services offered to citizens. Expeditious and timely responses save lives.
The Government should have paid for the aircraft. It’s time for the Government to invest in a small fix wing aircraft or a helicopter for the police that can be used for surveillance and air ambulance services.
As a parent this hurts on so many levels but as I do not have the facts, I will ask some questions instead (in no particular order):
1. The person who took the pic couldn’t offer or find transportation to the hospital?
2. Was the Union Island police notified?
3. What is the procedure when a patient arrives to the main island via plane?
4. Was this procedure followed?
5. Were the medical authorities notified in advance?
6. Was the deceased discharged on his own recognizance from Union Island?
7. Is there a process of transfer from one health facility to another?
I have read the story and my heart hurts. This is heart wrenching. I will cast no blame until and if a full investigation of this entire matter is done and if the findings are made public.
RIP young man.
My condolences to the loved ones. Now despite the rumors of 17 years of good governance. This is not the first time that patients have deteriorated while attempting to be evacuated from the southern grenadines. Despite of the best efforts of the hard working health care staff there, they receive almost no support from the state. The coast guard is often unable or unwilling to help and regular scheduled flights are not often the best option. Also despite 10 years of campaigning for the UN security seat, not much time was spent on getting an aircraft so that the lives of poor citizens could be saved. How much do vincentian lives matter?
There comes a time when we all have to leave this earth. Under the circumstances in which this man died is sad, deplorable, horrific and unacceptable. The fact that his mom chartered a plane to St. Vincent showed her desperation for the life of her son. Words cannot describes the disgust and anger the Island is feeling. He may be less in society as we as human being like to categorize the less fortunate , is to say how our minds are working and not caring. Who was fighting for this beloved son, only his mother. Ridiculous! Someone previously made a comment about not leaving Canada. Well I’m not leaving the U.S. My Biggest concern is who is supposed to seek justice when a crime is committed?
When we have an emergency who can we call?
My deepest condolences to the grieving family. When the higher officials are ill they fly out of the country to seek medical attention, That is to show how much faith they have in the health system.They celebrate the AIA and being on the United council, but are blind to see the devison between people status in the country. You are ill taken to MCMH you have to take your own bedding.The you speak the truth the most Educated dunce start saying crap, when when it happens to them they dont say anything.
Our Prime Minister says that Medical Care is not a high priority in SVG. Instead getting onto the Security Council is.
Does this not sound strange to anyone?
This is sad but God knows he hear his cry. St. Vincent needs to do better then this, to help save a life we are all God children blood or no blood love comes me from heart Jesus die on the cross so we can show love to each.
What does our Health Minister have to say about this calamity? Will there be a Public enquiry into these shocking affairs?
Soon some well-paid bureaucrats will shortly be going off from here to the U.N, with a declared objective of seeking prestige and participating in saving the world but here at home, through national neglect in our health care management, we could not save this poor young man in his hour of need!
What does that say about our national priorities? What a bunch of self-seeking politicians. A plague on all their houses!
How much nightmare stories do we need to hear from our non existent healthcare system…..everyone has to die some day,but the way people are dying in SVG should be concerning to all..
why dont the public ORGANIZE a MAJOR rallies and protests by BOTH NDP and ULP civilians to demand answers and change . Sickness and death has no political affiliation with who they choose . This tragedy is beyond words
note key words above …..organize , major , demand , answers , change .
What a sad state SVG is in today that a man can be kill for refusing to purchase something for another.
I hope they apprehend the person responsible for this act and the family get meaningful justice.
My heart goes to his family and love once’s.
I smell a bleeding heart neo socialist like Vincy lawyer who also find the time to support his Ultra socialist regime .I believe he is Wonder boy in disguise. The fact remains the young man life could have been saved if we had a good health system in St Vincent. What a shame and we are proud of being elected a non permanent member of the UN. What a misfit.
Ralph or even Friday should ask for an inquiry to see where things went wrong. Vincentians are so divides that they don’t care about others.