Dr. Griffin Benjamin, the head of Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital, continues to be on administrative leave weeks after his suspension, with no updates from the Ministry of Health regarding his potential return. The Dominican psychiatrist was relieved of his duties in early September due to what the ministry described as ‘serious concerns’ about his conduct and management of the facility. As part of the suspension, Dr. Benjamin was instructed to surrender all hospital property, prohibited from entering government institutions, and restricted from leaving Antigua and Barbuda without written authorization. The investigation reportedly focuses on two key issues: the confinement of an American University of Antigua student and the administration of an antipsychotic drug not included in the government’s formulary, despite its presence on the broader Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) list. The ministry emphasized that the suspension was a precautionary measure, but the lack of updates has left the hospital without a permanent medical director since his removal. The prolonged absence of leadership raises concerns about the hospital’s operations and the welfare of its patients.
