Guilty of being bad
Senior lawyer’s verdict on Raro hospital
By Shona Pitt

One of New Zealand’s senior criminal law barristers, Christopher Comeskey, said he was totally stunned, horrified and disgusted with the state of the medical ward at Rarotonga Hospital.
Born and raised in the Cook Islands, Comeskey was here recently to attend a legal conference.
He visited a family friend who had been admitted to the medical ward.
Comeskey said the the conditions were not only unsanitary but the mere fact that the ward is only metres from the maternity unit was also a matter for concern.
“You have a breeding ground of disease located right next to your birthing centre,” said Comeskey, shaking his head in disbelief.
He said he took his friend the patient outside for a breath of fresh air. Comeskey said when he placed his friend into a wheelchair he noticed that not only was the patient wet with urine but also his bed and the mattress were urine stained.
“I pointed it out to a nurse and asked her if the bedding, sheets could be changed and the patient cleaned,” he said. “However, she replied that they were busy.”
Comeskey added that he has since found out that the sheets and bedding is only changed on a daily basis.
“The nursing staff did not display any professionalism in their attitude and manner and that doesn’t instill any confidence in the visitors let alone the patients,” commented Comeskey.
Asked why he didn’t ask to see a senior staff member, he said he was totally stunned by the conditions and the attitude of the nursing staff. He said he was too taken aback to take the matter further.
“Quite frankly I was just appalled and shocked by the unsanitary state of the ward, the lack of professionalism that I couldn’t think,” Comeskey said.
“I was in Cambodia at the beginning of the year and had the opportunity to visit hospitals there and there standard is so much more superior to what I personally saw at the Rarotonga Hospital.
The director of nursing, Neti Tamarua, was overseas, the Times was told when an attempt was made to contact her yesterday for comment. There was no answer from the phone extension of her deputy.
COURT
While here Comesekey also took the opportunity to tour and inspect the Chinese-built Court House and the Police Station, currently under construction.
‘I can’t understand why you need to have a Police Station of that size,” he said.
“It’s the same size as the new police station being constructed in Manukau City and that serves the Manukau District.”
He also pointed out that the exit signs at the Court House are shown clearly in English and symbols.
“I presume it is in Chinese but I didn’t notice anything in Cook Island Maori.
“Looks like only the English and Chinese will be using the court house in the future,” quipped Comeskey.

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