GREAT BAY--Former Minister Theo Heyliger was admitted to St. Maarten Medical Center on Thursday after his medical condition prompted his doctor to order an immediate referral to the hospital, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The precise nature of Heyliger’s condition has not been disclosed. Sources said, however, that his general practitioner considered the situation serious enough to send him directly to SMMC, where doctors subsequently decided that he should be admitted without delay. Up to the publication of this update, no official information on his condition or prognosis had been obtained.
What happens next could depend heavily on the assessment of his doctors. Heyliger’s medical history makes the latest hospitalization particularly significant. His health has been a recurring concern since the beginning of the legal proceedings that ultimately led to his incarceration.
During an earlier period of detention in St. Maarten, Heyliger spent approximately 10 days in conditions that his family and supporters described as unsanitary, including exposure to human waste. He was later transferred to Bonaire, where he became seriously ill. His family challenged that transfer, and after prevailing in court, Heyliger was returned to St. Maarten.
Following his return, he underwent a medical procedure for kidney stones. During that period, it was also reported that doctors discovered a form of cancer, adding another serious health concern to an already difficult period.
His family subsequently sought permission for him to travel abroad for further medical treatment. That effort was unsuccessful. At the time, the family also faced complications surrounding his travel documents, including a missing passport that eventually had to be replaced.
The medical episodes have made Heyliger’s health a continuing part of a legal and personal ordeal that has stretched over several years. Thursday’s hospitalization now adds another chapter, but one with potentially immediate consequences.
If doctors determine that his condition requires specialized treatment, close monitoring or living arrangements that cannot safely be provided in detention, authorities could be confronted with decisions about how his medical care should be managed while he continues serving his sentence.
Heyliger remains incarcerated following his conviction in a corruption case, a verdict that remains legally in force. His supporters and relatives have long disputed the strength of the case against him, arguing that it relied heavily on testimony from cooperating witnesses (crown witnesses) who received agreements in exchange for their cooperation. Those arguments have continued to fuel debate among his supporters over the prosecution and the evidence used against him.
The immediate concern now is his health and what happens next.
