Caribbean attack: former island health boss in hospital, husband killed
By Lucy Morgan From Isle of Wight Radio
A former Chief Executive of St Mary’s Hospital is being treated in hospital in St Lucia after her husband was killed in an attack.
62-year-old Roger Pratt from Warwickshire died when he was attacked on the couple’s boat on Friday.
It is understood that he had been defending his wife Margaret Pratt, a former Isle of Wight health boss. She was Chief Executive of the Isle of Wight Primary Care Trust of St Mary’s Hospital in 2008.
Officials on the Caribbean say at least two people have been detained.
Mrs Pratt, currently a director at OKRA Associates Ltd, wrote on her LinkedIn profile before her departure:
Off travelling! The plan is to be in the Caribbean for my 60th birthday in January 2014… all a bit of a leap into the unknown. Please stay in touch – I plan to be an assiduous correspondent!
The couple left Lowestoft, via Gosport, in June and were keeping a blog.
In the early hours of Saturday, Mrs Pratt published an entry while at anchor in Vieux Fort:
On Thursday morning the plan was to clear out from Soufriere, then to travel south and use up the 72 hours before we had to be away. But bureaucracy intervened. HM Customs and Excise (sic) in Soufriere told us that exit had to happen within 24 hours of clearing out; and that anyway, we couldn’t clear out of Soufriere that day because the Immigration Officer hadn’t come to work(!!)…So we’ll be here over the weekend; clear out on Monday, and leave on Tuesday. Maybe I’ll be able to get some magazines at the airport!
In a statement Chris Palmer, Director of Finance at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, who worked with Margaret, said:
This is dreadful and shocking news. Margaret is an inspirational leader and great to work with. She worked on the Isle of Wight for the Primary Care Trust for two periods – as interim Director of Finance in 2005/2006 and as interim CEO for 9 months in 2008. Our deepest condolences go to Margaret and her family.
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Related story:
British visitor killed, wife injured in St Lucia attack
From Caribbean 360
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Saturday January 18, 2014, CMC – A British visitor is dead and his wife injured following an attack late Friday on a boat anchored off the south coast of Vieux Fort.
The dead man has been identified as 62-year-old Roger Pratt.
Police are yet to release details of the incident, only saying that the initial investigation points to a robbery.
Tourism Minister Lorne Theophilus in a statement on Saturday, expressed condolences to the family of the victims while assuring them that St. Lucia remains “relatively safe for nationals and visitors alike”.
He said law enforcement officials are working “speedily”to solve the case.
“To his wife, who also sustained injuries as a result of the attack, we extend our deepest sympathies. Our prayers are with her for a speedy recovery. There is an active investigation underway and as law enforcement leads the charge in an attempt to bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice speedily.
“I wish to assure you that as a destination St Lucia remains relatively safe for nationals and visitors alike, and we are fully committed to seeing this investigation through to a final conclusion,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile a long-standing feud between two families in Rockhall, East Castries turned deadly late Friday after several altercations during the evening.
Police report that shortly before mid-night Embert Eugene aka Cow Back was shot multiple times by Mitch Alcide aka Mad Ras, who was subsequently shot by a police officer.
Reports are that the plain clothes policeman who happened to be near the scene of the crime, resides in the area and is a relative of Alcide, who is well known to law enforcement.
Apart from the police shooting, the two incidents bring the number of homicides so far this year to five.
PHOTO: Roger Pratt, right, having a meal in Marigot Bay in St Lucia with his wife Margaret, left, and a friend (Credit: telegraph.co.uk)
For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/st_lucia_news/1105948.html?utm_source=Caribbean360+Newsletters&utm_campaign=9a2bee42fc-Vol_9_Issue_013_News1_20_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-9a2bee42fc-39393477#ixzz2qxZ6p2XV
