Cay Hill: --- Tensions at the St. Maarten Medical Centre got out of hand on Friday morning between Dr. J. Bocher and Dr. Michel Petit. According to Dr. Petit who was seen leaving the Philipsburg Police Station where he filed an official complaint against Dr. Bocher said that at around 9am on Friday Dr.Bocher approached him and poked him while hurling insults at him. Dr. Petit said that he was physically assaulted by the bone specialist of the St. Maarten Medical Centre simply because he filed a report with the medical inspector over a year and a half ago about some irregularities taking place at the St. Maarten Medical Centre. Dr. Petit further explained that the specialist in question has someone in the operating theatre who is not a registered doctor or surgeon performing operations on people. Dr. Petit said he even expressed his concerns in the media while he filed an official report over a year ago with the medical inspector and nothing was done to rectify the irregularities. He said it appears now that St. Maarten has achieved its country status some changes are about to take place and it appears as though that is frustrating people. Dr. Petit said he personally saw the person who is not a registered doctor or surgeon in the operating room working on patients and if his allegations are wrong then Dr.Bocher should sue him or take him to court. He said while he did not react violently to the 74 year old doctor on Friday he already warned police that should this happen another time he will take matters into his own hands. In the meantime, Director and President of the board of St. Maarten Medical Centre Dr. George Scot said the hospital has began a fact finding mission into determining exactly what took place on Friday morning between the two specialists.
