A disciplinary hearing will be held this morning to examine the conduct of Psychiatrist Dr. Griffin Benjamin and determine whether he violated any rules in his capacity as Director of the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital.

Dr. Benjamin, a citizen of Dominica, was sent on leave following what the Ministry of Health described as serious concerns arising from a formal complaint. Though currently off the job, he continues to receive his full salary.

Today’s hearing follows formal service of documents on Dr. Benjamin, who is being represented by a legal team that includes Attorney Radford Hill and two other lawyers. His daughter is also part of his defence team.

The proceedings stem from an investigation into the August 2025 admission and treatment of an American student attending the American University of Antigua (AUA) at the Clarevue facility. The young woman was ordered by a magistrate to be confined for up to 14 days under medical supervision after reportedly displaying mental health challenges. She remained at Clarevue for 12 days before being discharged.

Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph has confirmed that the investigation has now entered the legal arena, meaning the Ministry will not release the findings of its internal report at this time.

“It’s now a legal matter, and we have to wait on the legal process,” Sir Molwyn said. “The Ministry of Health takes seriously the conduct of all health care individuals, and there was an issue that came up, an investigation was done… and I say no more than that.”

The Permanent Secretary’s letter placing Dr. Benjamin on leave outlined sweeping restrictions. He was instructed to refrain from performing any official duties, avoid entry into government health facilities, offices, systems, or records, and immediately return all institutional property. He was also ordered to remain within Antigua and Barbuda unless granted written permission to travel.

Central to the allegations is the administration of a long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication that the Ministry claims is not on the government formulary and was not procured through established government channels. There are also claims that patients were charged $150 for the drug outside official mechanisms.

However, sources indicate the medication in question has long been used in Antigua and across the OECS and appears on regional formularies — raising further questions about procurement procedures and internal oversight.

The Ministry maintains that the measures taken are precautionary and do not constitute a finding of wrongdoing. In its correspondence, it emphasized that the process is strictly fact-finding.