Senate Candidate Raymond T. James Pledges: Day-One Hospital Oversight and Accountability

 PRESS RELEASE - Advertisement

James Pledges Day-One Hospital 

Oversight and Accountability

ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands - Raymond T. James, Esq., Republican candidate for the Legislature in the District of St. Croix, is calling for dedicated executive and financial leadership at each territorial hospital, stronger financial controls, and measurable improvements in patient care. 

Mr. James’s proposals follow the federal equipment-financing judgment involving Juan F. Luis Hospital and the territorial hospital corporation, along with recently reported federal hospital quality ratings. 

“Recent events raise serious questions about whether the shared management structure provides the focused attention and clear accountability each hospital requires,” Mr. James said. “I support a dedicated chief executive officer and chief financial officer for each hospital, with costs and implementation evaluated through the appropriate governing boards.” 

Mr. James said the boards should assess compensation, affordability, funding, and an orderly transition, subject to applicable law and legislative appropriations. Both hospitals should continue cooperating on purchasing, training, and other services where demonstrated savings benefit patients. 

“Separate leadership must come with stronger controls, clear responsibilities, and measurable results,” Mr. James said. 

Day-One Action 

On his first day in office, Mr. James pledged to formally request an urgent legislative oversight hearing into the equipment-financing dispute and the actions of hospital management, the governing boards, and legislative oversight officials. 

“I will not prejudge whether hospital leadership withheld information or whether legislators failed to ask the necessary questions and follow through,” Mr. James said. “I will insist that the records establish who knew what, when they knew it, and what action they took.”  

Mr. James would request an immediate plan to preserve essential medical equipment and patient care, a documented timeline of creditor notices and responses to the lawsuit, and a verified accounting of payments, outstanding balances, interest, and proposed repayment sources. He would also seek a corrective-action plan assigning responsibility and deadlines, including procedures to ensure legal notices reach counsel and court deadlines are tracked. 

“Holding a hearing is only the beginning,” Mr. James said. “Oversight requires answers, follow-up, and evidence that problems are being corrected. That scrutiny must extend to legislative oversight as well as hospital management.” 

Improving Patient Care 

Mr. James also pointed to recently reported Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services overall hospital quality ratings of one star out of five for Juan F. Luis Hospital and two stars for Schneider Regional. He would seek a separate quality improvement plan for each hospital, with measurable targets, responsible officials, and quarterly public progress reports. He acknowledged that the ratings reflect earlier reporting periods and that neither the ratings nor the judgment, by themselves, establish that shared management caused these outcomes. 

“These ratings deserve a clear public explanation and a specific improvement plan,” Mr. James said. “Our doctors, nurses, and support staff need the resources and leadership necessary to succeed. Financial accountability must translate into better care, and the public deserves to know how progress will be measured.” 

Raymond James also pledged to begin work on legislation requiring prompt notification of financial threats to essential hospital services and quarterly public financial reporting. Before voting on additional hospital borrowing, he would demand independent financial review and a credible repayment and recovery plan, while protecting urgent patient-care needs. 

“I cannot promise to resolve every hospital problem on my first day,” Mr. James said. “I can promise to begin demanding answers, protecting patients, and establishing accountability on my first day. Public funding must protect patients, and public leadership must answer to the people.” 

About Raymond 

Raymond T. James, Esq., is a former Assistant Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, former chairman of the Government Employees’ Retirement System Board, and former chairman of Christiansted Credit Union. A graduate of Howard University School of Law with a Certificate in Negotiations from the Wharton School, James is a farmer, small business owner, and former horse racing administrator. He is a Republican candidate for the Legislature representing St. Croix. 

“Service for the people, not for self.” 

###