‘I Will Tell The Whole Truth’: J.F.L. Board Reverses Course As Troy Schuster Gets Set To ‘Reveal All’ During Senate Hearing

ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands community will learn “the whole truth” behind  the upheaval that has rocked the Juan F. Luis Hospital since the hiring, demoting and firing of Dr. Ken Okolo.

In a brief conversation with J.F.L. Board of Directors Chairman, Troy de Chabert-Schuster on Thursday, Mr. Schuster, apologizing for his outburst on Tuesday at a Consortium reporter — blaming the flare-up on exhaustion that had set in since the turmoil surrounding Dr. Okolo’s contract — also said that he had communicated with board members to inform them that the board would abandon a decision made on Tuesday to keep most meetings behind closed doors.

The truth, which Mr. Schuster said would be surprising, will be disclosed during a Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services hearing on Tuesday, May 24, called by committee chairman Senator Kurt Vialet, who himself has been disgusted by recent events at the hospital.

Pressed on why the board made the decision to block the public from meetings in the first place, knowing that the move would be perceived by observers as authoritarian, and would most likely be challenged by media outlets as unlawful, the board chairman said the board’s decision was in accordance with the hospital’s bylaws, even if Mr. Schuster admitted that he was aware that portions of the hospital’s bylaws contradicted Virgin Islands Code.

Suggesting that there were no nefarious intentions behind the decision, Mr. Schuster said board members had agreed that the meetings would be expedited if they were being held in private; noting that board members are busy residents who have day jobs, and would love to be able to come into and move out of meetings posthaste.

Mr. Schuster said people will be surprised after learning the truth behind the latest distasteful episodes at the hospital, and hinted that he had been taking, up until this point, the blame for sins that should have been burdened by Dr. Okolo — most of which includes financial dishonesty. He also reminded The Consortium that he was an ardent supporter of Dr. Okolo; and pushed to assure that he received the C.E.O. position.

But upon learning about certain decisions that Dr. Okolo had made, Mr. Schuster said he had to do what was right for the hospital and fire Dr. Okolo.

The board fired Dr. Okolo on Tuesday “without cause,” and agreed to pay him two months severance amounting to $33,333. It placed hospital counsel Richard Evangelista as interim chief executive officer, and moved to commence a national search for a permanent C.E.O.

It remains unclear as to whether Dr. Okolo will be present at the hearing this coming Tuesday to defend himself. However, Mr. Vialet said “all relevant parties will be invited to testify.”

Feature Image: J.F.L. Board of Directors Chairman Troy de Chabert-Schuster (Credit: Ernice Gilbert, VIC).