Government

$700,000 Lifeline Given to Caribbean Kidney Center as Senate Passes Bill 35-0106

In a swift response to a healthcare crisis, the 35th Legislature passed Bill 35-0106 when it convened in regular session on Wednesday. The rescue package for the Caribbean Kidney Center is worth $700,000 and aims to prevent the imminent closure of the critical health institution and ensure uninterrupted dialysis services for local patients. Representatives from the Center had informed lawmakers of the facility’s imminent financial collapse when they testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services last week.  The funding comes from the general fund of the Virgin Islands and is earmarked for hiring essential staff, such as dialysis nurses, vital to maintaining operations at the beleaguered center.  Despite initial reservations, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the bill. Senator Alma Francis Heyliger voiced her concerns about allocating funds to a private business but acknowledged the necessity of the measure. "We need to assist a business handling a terr...