By Admin. Updated 9:44 a.m., Sunday, November 9, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
A one year government contract valued at EC$144,000 awarded to Hospital Administrator and Unity Labour Party (ULP) candidate Dr Grace Walters has raised criticism from the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), which claims the appointment reflects misplaced priorities in the nation’s healthcare system.
Opposition spokesperson on health, Daniel Cummings, made the disclosure during a NDP rally in North Union on Saturday night, where he accused the government of rewarding political allies while neglecting urgent healthcare needs. Cummings alleged that Walters, who was the administrator of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, has failed to address chronic shortages and service gaps at the facility.
“This is a woman who couldn’t get plastic gloves in the hospital,” Cummings declared, referencing recent reports of medication and staffing shortages. He cited a notice posted at a rural clinic indicating that nursing staff were unavailable due to sick leave, leaving patients without care.
Dr. Walters had to write and gain permission from the Personnel Department (formally Service Commissions) to take up the contract and has been placed on no-pay leave for the period.
The EC$144,000 contract, reportedly signed in January 2025, appoints Walters as an advisor on healthcare reform. Cummings questioned the merit of the appointment, stating that Walters has spent recent months campaigning across the country rather than delivering substantive improvements in healthcare delivery.
“This contract could have hired three top class nurses,” Cummings argued, calling the decision “a disgrace” and accusing the government of politicizing public health.
The NDP pledged to treat healthcare reform with “the level of seriousness that is required” if elected, promising to prioritize staffing, supplies, and transparency in public sector appointments.
Dr. Walters has a PhD in Management of Health Systems and a Master’s in Hospital Administration and another in Master’s in Nursing. She has worked in several areas in nursing and health administration including playing the role of Acting Senior Officer for Mental Health, community services, and the like.
Speaking at a rally in Langley Park on Friday, Dr. Walters defended her tenure as hospital administrator, revealing achievements such as refurbishing the wings of the hospital, the accreditation of the internship programme for medical interns, the attainment of Tier-1 Status for the laboratory of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in stepwise accreditation, overseeing the implementation of the World Pediatric Project where people fly here from across the region for life changing surgeries at the MCMH, among other things.
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