A disciplinary hearing is set for Thursday to determine whether Psychiatrist Dr Griffin Benjamin breached any rules in his role as Director of the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital.
Dr Benjamin, a Dominican national, was sent on leave with full pay after what the Ministry of Health described as serious concerns arising from a formal complaint.
He is represented by Attorney Radford Hill and two other lawyers. His daughter is also part of his legal team.
The case stems from an investigation into the August 2025 admission of an American University of Antigua (AUA) student to the psychiatric facility. The young woman was ordered by a magistrate to be confined for up to 14 days under medical supervision after reportedly experiencing mental health difficulties. She was discharged after 12 days.
Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph confirmed the matter has entered the legal stage, and the ministry will not release the findings of its internal report.
“It’s now a legal matter, and we have to wait on the legal process,” he said, adding that the ministry takes the conduct of healthcare professionals seriously.
In a letter placing Dr Benjamin on leave, the Permanent Secretary instructed him not to perform official duties or enter government health facilities, offices, systems or records. He was also directed to return all government property and remain in Antigua and Barbuda unless granted written permission to travel.
Central to the allegations is the reported administration of a long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication said not to be on the government’s formulary or obtained through official procurement channels. There are also claims that patients were charged $150 for the drug outside established systems.
However, sources say the medication has been used in Antigua and other OECS territories and appears on regional formularies, raising questions about procurement and oversight.
The ministry has stressed that the action taken is precautionary and does not amount to a finding of wrongdoing.
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So, BECAUSE it was an AUA student why all of this hoopla took place?. How long the families of local patients have spoken out about the ‘ craziness’ that takes place in that institution. How long have the staff cried and protested about the working conditions.
… And all because Dr Griffin Benjamin stood up to Health Minister [sic] Molwyn Joseph.
Antigua already has a shortage of medical practitioners on the island, and yet, this “political” intervention by Joseph seems to be about who’s boss.
A ridiculous waste of litigious resources by the ABLP once again!
Moreover, one looks forward to our Health Minister alsso being held to account for his involvement in the procurement and implementation of the banned and highly dangerous AstraZeneca Covid-19 mRNA vaccines on unsuspecting Antiguans.
I BET THIS DOESN’T END UP IN COURT?
Absolute double standards…
WHAT THE HELL…! …MAD LIKE HELL…?
…GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN OF INTEGRITY COMMISSION…?
…REPRESENTING GOVERNMENT CONTRACTED PSYCHIATRIST:
…AGAINST GOVERNMENT INSTITUTED TRIBUNAL…?
***
WELL: TWO THINGS
(i) ‘…Luckily, this is ‘…FOOD FOR THOUGHT: and
(ii) …Luckily, it is not ‘…FOOD TO EAT.’
***
PROVOKING THOUGHTS
Since this news story at ‘…ANR’ is for ‘…PUBLIC CONSUMPTION…? AH AH!
It looks more like ‘…PUBLIC INFORMATION:’
It sure will provoke ‘…PUBLIC CONSTERNATION.’
***
QUESTIONS:
(i) ‘…HOW COULD THIS NEWS STORY REPORT: ‘…HE IS REPRESENTED BY ATTORNEY, RADFORD HILL? [Paragraph 3]:
(ii) …IS HE THE ‘…FULL-TIME APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSION?
(ii) …IN SUCH CAPACITY IS A CHAIRMAN BEING REMUNERATED BY THE PUBLIC TREASURY:
***
AND GIVEN THE CONCEPTS:
(a) ‘…INTEGRITY: and
(b) …CHAIRMAN, IS SUCH APPOINTEE AUTHORISED: to
(a) ‘…ENGAGE IN PRIVATE LEGAL UNDERTAKINGS: against
(b) …THE EMPLOYER/GOVERNMENT?’
***
ALL SHALL BE MINDFUL OF THESE:
(i) ‘…BRINGING THE OFFICE OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSION INTO DISREPUTE: and
(ii) …BRINGING ALSO ‘…INTEGRITY’ UNDER ‘…PUBLIC SCRUTINY.’
***
WHAT THE HELL…!
From professional law enforcemnet knowledge and experience, ‘Law enforcers’ who had:
(a) ‘…FOLLOWED MONEY, ENDED UP IN TWO POSITION:
(i) …IN JEOPARDY:
(ii) …IN THE PENITENTIARY.’
***
SEVERAL: either for
(a) ‘…SKULLDUGGERY: or
(b) …RASCALITY.’
***
NOW: ON THE REST OF THE NEWS
(i) ‘…COURT REPORTEDLY ORDERED 14-DAY OBSERVATION OF PATIENT:
(ii) …PSYCHIATRIST REPORTEDLY DISCHARGED OVER 12-DAYS
***
NO PROBLEM:
***
WHY?
From professional knowledge (Police Court Prosecutor) and dealings: with
(i) ‘…FORMER DISTRICT MAGISTRATE, COSBERT CUMBRBATCH: and
(ii) …FORMER PSYCHIATRISTS, DR. ALBERINE MATHURIN-JURGENSEN:
***
NOW:
Police officer or Family member who claimed to have witnessed:
(a) ‘…THE BEHAVIOR OF A SUSPECTED TO BE OF UNSOUND MIND:
(b) …MAKES WRITTEN STATEMENT OF THAT WITNESSED:
(c) …SUMMONED AND TAKES COURT STAND:
(d) …SUBSCRIBED TO OATH/AFFIRMATION:
(e) …GIVES EVIDENCE TO THE COURT AS CONTAINED IN THE ‘WRITTEN STATEMENT:
(f) …MAGISTRATE CUMBERBATCH SATISFIES THAT THERE IS URGENT NEED: for
(i) …TREATMENT:
(ii) …SAFETY OF PERSON SUSPECTED TO BE OF UNSOUND MIND:
(iii) …PUBLIC/COMMUNITY SAFETY: then
(iv) …ORDERS PSYCHIATRIC OBSERVATION OF 14-DAYS:
***
[Mental Treatment Act: Sections 4 and 5: Chapter 274].
***
(v) …MAGISTRATE ISSUES COURT ORDER: and
(vi) … PERSON SUSPECTED OF UNSOUND MIND, IS ESCORTED TO THE FACILITY:
***
FUNCTIONS
(a) ‘…PSYCHIATRIC OBSERVATION:
(b) …PSYCHIATRIC CARE:
(c) …PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT:
(d) …PSYCHIATIRC EVALUATION:
(e) …PSYCHIATRIC FINDINGS: and
(f) …PSYCHIATRIC DETERMINATION.’
***
These are strictly the functions of the ‘…MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT/PSYCHIATRIST.’
Magistrate and Judges rely heavily on their ‘…FINDINGS.’
***
WELL
What obtained then was that before ‘…PATIENT’S RELEASE/DISCHARGE: the
PSYCHIATRIST/MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT’ submits a ‘…PSYCHIATRIC REPORT’ on the institutionalized patient.’
***
As reported in this news story: ‘…PATIENT WAS DISCHARGED AFTER 12-DAYS’ [Paragraph 4].
STRICTLY BETWEEN THE ‘…COURT AND MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT/PSYCHIATRIST:
***
BUT SEEMINGLY TROUBLING:
Is the paragraph that states:
‘…There are claims that patients were charge ‘$150′ for the drug outside established systems’ [Paragraph 8].
***
SEEMS A HURDLE TO JUMP CLEAR:
***
CONSTITUTION PRINCIPLE:
‘…INNOCENT UNTIL PROVED GUILTY:
***
MAXIM
HE WHO ASSERTS, MUST PROVE.
***
MENTALLY AND LEGALLY:
GOOD LUCK TO BOTH- ‘…DOCTOR AND LAWYER.’
***
RIGHT PEOPLE TO HELP EACH OTHER-
***
WALK GOOD.
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