CAMPAIGNERS against a Government plan to shut down a medical clinic say they will carry on the fight — despite receiving a lukewarm reception from Premier Ewart Brown.About 50 placard-carrying demonstrators camped outside the House of Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, calling for the Medical Clinic — which provides free medical treatment to the poor — to stay open. Government plans to shut the facility down later this year, claiming that it undermines the dignity of patients.

Dr. Brown, sitting in on a Budget debate in the House at the time of the picket, met with the demonstrators and reassured them that medical services would not be diminished by the closure.

Instead, he said, patients would be able to make appointments with one of six private practices around the island.

He denied that patients had not been consulted on the decision, but hinted that, regardless of their views, the closure would go ahead.

“Even blacks resisted the abolition of slavery,” he is alleged to have said.

Yesterday, organiser Jenny Brookes said: “I think the Premier showed that he doesn’t have a well-formulated plan to replace the clinic.

“He was asked how the new system would work and he made it seem that there weren’t that many patients getting treatment at the clinic at the moment.

“I think some patients have been misinformed about the alternative but it’s the Government’s fault that they have been misinformed — a lot of patients feel that they were not let in on the consultation process.”

Miss Brookes is also circulating a petition against the closure.

“That’s going really well,” she said.

“Now it’s a matter of getting as many signatures as possible and seeing what happens from there. If we have to do another demonstration then so be it, but the signatures are going to be very powerful. I hope that people will do their part for democracy.”

Campaigners have also created a web site — www.moccb.info — urging residents to take action. A copy of the petition is available on the site.

Last night, Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson backed the campaign and urged the public to keep up the pressure on Government.

“I want to applaud Jenny Brookes for organising this petition,” she said.

“When she first called to say that she was organising this, I told her that I would give her my full support and do anything I can to help.

“I don’t want the clinic to close — I think it’s a disgrace that this country is the only country in the developed world that will not have a clinic. Everyone can see that it is more convenient for the people who need it.”

Clinic fight