The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Myles Laroda has defended the medical care provided to an inmate who died earlier this month, saying prison officials are confident he received adequate treatment before his death.

The minister said he was advised by the commissioner of corrections that Thomas Jean-Baptiste had been unwell when he entered prison and was referred to hospital for treatment.

Mr Jean-Baptiste, who suffered from diabetes, morbid obesity and a history of potentially life-threatening blood clots, died on October 4 after spending about two weeks in hospital. In July, the Court of Appeal rejected his challenge to his prison sentences.

“When he was admitted to the prison, he – I’m not going to give out any confidential medical information – but he was unwell,” Mr Laroda said.

“He was referred to the hospital, and they sent him back after treatment. His situation didn’t get any better. He got ill again, and he was sent back to the Princess Margaret Hospital, where he was there for some three weeks.”

Mr Laroda said Mr Jean-Baptiste was housed in a dormitory near the prison infirmary rather than a cell and had access to medication.

He said the commissioner and other prison officials were confident that Mr Jean-Baptiste had received adequate care while in custody.

His comments contrast with allegations made by Mr Jean-Baptiste’s sister, Alicia Jean Baptiste, who previously told The Tribune that her brother repeatedly complained about inadequate medical care and food after the Court of Appeal revoked his medical bail.

“He was sick or whatever, but he wasn’t sick to the point of dying,” she said.

Asked whether prison officials had done everything reasonably possible to protect her brother’s life, Ms Jean Baptiste said: “Absolutely not, they made no efforts, period.”

“The court order did not matter. It did not stand. They took no care, no concern.”

Ms Jean Baptiste alleged that her brother was supposed to be housed in the prison infirmary but instead spent about a month in intake before being transferred to another section of the institution.

She claimed the area had no air conditioning, frequently lost electricity and was far from the infirmary. She also alleged that he was not consistently given medication he had purchased before returning to custody.

In July, the Court of Appeal ruled that Mr Jean-Baptiste’s medical conditions did not justify reducing his sentences or replacing them with a non-custodial penalty.

The court revoked his bail and ordered him to return to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services to serve the remainder of his concurrent sentences of three years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and two years for possession of ammunition.