Senator Ray Fonseca issued the following statement after the 36th Legislature of the Virgin Islands unanimously voted to allocate emergency funding to the Territory’s hospitals:
“I thank all my colleagues in the 36th Legislature for taking this decisive and unified action to support both of our hospitals. Today, every Senator demonstrated a 100% solid commitment to improving healthcare services for our community.
The funding approved will go toward paying down the most critical delinquent debt identified by the hospitals. While this is a necessary step, we must be clear—it is a bandage, not a cure. The letters submitted by more than 107 physicians and healthcare professionals speak volumes about the longstanding challenges our hospitals face.
This Legislature has taken meaningful, positive action that addresses the urgent need for immediate, focused, and comprehensive support. These emergency funds are vital to stabilizing our hospitals while we work toward long-term reforms.
Our people deserve better—much better. They deserve a healthcare system that is fully functional, adequately staffed, and properly resourced. I stand in full solidarity with our physicians, nurses, and all healthcare workers. I will continue to fight tirelessly for the funding, reforms, and attention our hospitals urgently need—for the sake of every patient, every family, and the future of public health in the Virgin Islands.”
For more information, please contact the Office of Senator Ray Fonseca at 340-693-3577 or by email at SenatorRayFonseca@legvi.org
