(Barbados Nation) Two of Barbados’ most prominent heart specialists Dr Richard Ishmael and Dr Alfred Sparman are at it again. But this time around, Minister of Health Donville Inniss has been drawn into a dispute that may be headed to the law courts.
At issue is a November 17 letter addressed to the director of medical services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Dr Delores Lewis, and circulated to several top hospital officials by consultant cardiologist Ishmael.
In it, Ishmael, personal physician to late Prime Minister David Thompson, raised concerns about the welfare of cardiac patient Graham Cotterell, a British visitor, who was admitted to the critical care section of the Department of Medicine at the QEH on October 13 for treatment.
Ishmael made several damning allegations that have drawn legal responses from both Sparman and the minister, the latter giving him until December 15 to issue an apology and pay damages of Bds$60 000.
Sparman, in a letter also dated December 1, is similarly demanding an apology and damages, although there was no stated amount.
“My client is demanding a retraction of the statements, an apology to be settled by me and compensation for the damage that has already been done to his reputation, career, credibility and reputation,” said Queen’s Counsel Alair Shepherd, who is representing Sparman.
Said Michael Yearwood, who is representing Inniss: “Having reviewed the contents of the letter and taken instructions from my client, I have formed the opinion . . . that they amount to a most severe attack on my client’s reputation . . . and as such amount to defamation of my client’s character.”
The SUNDAY SUN understands that Ishmael was served with the letters last Wednesday.
None of the three parties would comment on the dispute, but the SUNDAY SUN has been reliably informed that failing the apology, both Sparman and Inniss will take court action.
This is not the first time that Sparman and Ishmael have been at loggerheads. Ishmael had previously taken issue with Sparman, a Guyanese by birth and trained in the United States, who came under the scrutiny of the medical fraternity when he began to practise medicine here seven years ago.
