Health Min­is­ter Ter­rence Deyals­ingh has di­rect­ed the im­me­di­ate re­in­state­ment of Dr. Joel Teelucks­ingh, who was placed on ad­min­is­tra­tive leave by the South-West Re­gion­al Health Au­thor­i­ty (SWRHA) pend­ing an in­ter­nal in­ves­ti­ga­tion.

“I note that Dr. Joel Teelucks­ingh has been sent on ad­min­is­tra­tive leave by the South-West Re­gion­al Health Au­thor­i­ty,” Deyals­ingh said in a state­ment on Sun­day. “Whilst I find his opin­ions and writ­ings some­times con­tro­ver­sial, I am a firm be­liev­er in free speech even at my own per­son­al ex­pense.”

“In that be­lief, I have di­rect­ed that Dr. Teelucks­ingh be im­me­di­ate­ly re­in­stat­ed and the in­ves­ti­ga­tion be con­duct­ed whilst he is on the job,” he added.