Dear Editor:

Smoke, mirrors and repetition - that's what VIHA's all about, and they think we'll buy it.

Howard Waldner of the appointed Vancouver Island Health Authority has kept repeating that we need one hospital in order to attract specialists. Dr. Steve Matous agrees with him. But Dr. Simice, who IS a specialist counters all the arguments, not with smoke and mirrors, but with reality factors.

The government has under-funded operating room time and staff. The government, which had extra funds this year, didn't put it into the latter. That would have been too sensible. No, they want to keep waiting lists, saying that specialists won't come here--over and over. They want a public-private partnership for their friends to have a 30-year lease on the one new hospital

The doctors from Campbell River have it right. They say that, because C.R. and the Comox Valley are such rapidly growing areas, we need two hospitals, renovated, earthquake-proofed, with proper staffing. There will then be no trouble getting, and keeping specialists.

Enough smoke, get rid of the mirrors, Mr. Waldner, and take a look at the reality in the north of Vancouver Island. We need, and deserve, two hospitals.

Sincerely,
Gwyn Frayne
Courtenay
fraynegshaw.ca
338-6265