COM and Interreg provided subsidies to OBS.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Observatoire St. Martin (OBS) got the full support of Minister of VSA Emil Lee, who gave Dr. Louis Jeffry a letter on February 9th 2016 as Dr. Jeffry was seeking subsidies from Interreg. The letter clearly states that OBS focus was to improve cooperation in healthcare, yet the Minister of Health allowed USZV to deal with OBS to take care of patients that are transferred to the French side. While USZV made payments to OBS for some of its services LCF, CHU and other hospitals were not paid for the care and services they rendered to Dutch side patients.
Currently, patients from Dutch St. Maarten are not able to receive care at LCF unless they pay cash. USZV cancelled its contracts with Health Destination to do business with OBS and to date USZV has maintained its stance that they will not deal with the only recognized company that is charged with the transfer of patients to the French hospitals.
The ARS and representatives of Caribbean on Call met with the Minister of VSA in April 2018 to discuss their working relationship but to date USZV and the Minister of VSA did not follow up after that meeting.
OBS also received subsidy from the Collectivity of St. Martin in 2015 since the Collectivity benefits from EU funding. The money given to OBS was to enhance cooperation in matters related to Healthcare.
Currently, an investigation is underway to determine Dr. Jeffry’s role with foreign companies since he is a member of LCF administration. Besides that authorities are also investigating OBS role especially since they received subsidies.
Click here to read the letter Minister Emil Lee gave to Dr. Louis Jeffry.
