Bridgetown, Barbados (The Nation):

A MEMBER of the Opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has called on Prime Minister Owen Arthur to sack Minister of Health Jerome Walcott.

Calling Walcott the "worst Minister of Health in contemporary Barbados," candidate for St. James South, Donville Inniss, said his removal would be a positive step for the state of health care in Barbados.

"I don't know what it would take for the Prime Minister to let him go. I don't think it would solve the problems we have, but certainly Prime Minister Arthur needs to take that step in order to indicate to Barbadians he is concerned about what is the final solution (to health care problems).

Housing body criticised

He also levelled criticism against the National Housing Corporation (NHC), saying it needed to get back to its fundamental reasons for existence, providing housing solutions to lower income Barbadians.

"Getting on the front page of the newspapers or on CBC and pompasetting and parading about the eviction of a working-class family, however justifiable, does not in any way help to provide housing solutions to those who need it," he said.

He said he no longer had any faith in the Arthur administration to provide housing solutions and hoped Barbadians would vote for the DLP and change the Govern-ment so the "average Barbadian can own a piece of the rock".

Recreational facility

He also said housing developments needed recreational facilities, especially in his constituency.

"When you have a situation like West Terrace with over 500 houses, where do the people get the chance to meet and greet and have recreational activities?

"We do need housing, but every housing development must have some form of recreational facility for those who live in the area," he said.

Inniss was speaking on Sunday evening at a branch meeting at West Terrace Primary School.

Special guest at the meeting was Sir Frederick Smith, who spoke on some of his experiences with former Prime Minister, the late Errol Barrow.