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By Prince Moore
The nephew of 71-year-old Leroy Smith who died at Sangster International Airport last week is questioning whether negligence led to his uncle's death after he collapsed at the airport.
The death of Mr. Smith at the airport in Montego Bay last Wednesday highlighted the lack of an airport based ambulance for emergencies.
Leroy Smith was returning to the United States after visiting his family when he collapsed at the baggage counter and later died.
His nephew, Ramond Smith, said he received a call shortly after leaving his uncle at the airport informing him of the medical emergency.
He said he was told that he had to pay US$400 before an ambulance could be provided to take Mr. Smith to a medical facility.
He agreed, suggesting that was the least if it meant saving his uncle's life.
But as he made his way to Cornwall Regional Hospital where be believed his uncle would have been brought, he was again called and informed that when the ambulance arrived at the airport it was too late as his uncle had already passed.
Mr. Smith said he was told he still had to pay an ambulance fee despite his uncle not being able to use the service.
"Di ambulance people dem, mi still haffi pay dem $10,000 because dem seh dem come pon di scene and annuh dem mek di person dead, suh mi still haffi pay dem.... A lady run mi card same place inna di airport," he said, adding that the woman insisted it was "policy".
Mr. Smith is adamant that there should be accountability for the death of his uncle at the airport. This is necessary, he said, to prevent a repeat of the circumstances in which his uncle died.
"Somebody haffi face some sort a consequence fi this. You can't just look pon wah man lie dung a grung, if ambulance nuh come or if you nuh get money him cyah move, you cyah do nutn fi him, fi try save him? Even if him aguh dead, just try supm fi save him nuh," he demanded, lamenting that "Everything just based upon the money.... No money, no life."
Mr. Smith was speaking in an interview on TVJ's All Angles, with host Dionne Jackson Miller, on Wednesday.
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