Sen. Francis To Gov. Bryan: Make Acting JFL CEO Dyma Williams Official

ST. CROIX — Senator Novelle Francis is calling on Governor Albert Bryan to officially name acting Juan F. Luis Hospital CEO Dyma Williams as chief executive of the hospital, noting that Mr. Bryan’s recent state of exigency declaration for JFL heightens the need for permanent leadership, which Mr. Francis said would stabilize St. Croix’s only hospital.

“There are far-reaching implications when employees don’t know if they will remain in positions and when there is a perception that leadership will change,” Mr. Francis said. “While the executive order positions the hospital to chart a way forward, this way forward also needs to be supported by the selection of a CEO for the Juan F. Luis Hospital.”

During a brief phone interview with the Consortium Friday night, Mr. Francis outright called for the governor to name Ms. Williams. “I want her to be named; I think she’s been acting in the position, she’s been doing the work and carrying it out well and I truly believe that she should be named.”

Mr. Francis said he was confident in Ms. Dyma’s ability to carry out the task of leading the hospital. Additionally, “I think that the employees support her and she has the confidence of the employees, faculty and staff, so I want her to be named,” he said. “Put the woman in place.”

Relative to the state of exigency, Mr. Francis said it will facilitate funding to procure equipment and supplies for the modular units — critical supplies that were not included in the original request from the federal government following the 2017 storms. “Procurement processes have the tendency of taking a whole lot of time and declaring the state of exigency would allow them to be able to advance the supplies and equipment needed to get the modulars up and running,” he said.

Following Mr. Bryan’s exigency declaration, the governor said, “The territory’s hospitals are a top priority for our administration in this recovery. We are continuing our work with the current leadership of both our hospitals to ensure that we have facilities that are able to appropriately provide for the health needs of the residents while we work on a longterm solution to improve healthcare in the territory.”