GOVERNMENT engineer Walter Willis died at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital late on Monday night after entering a state of coma allegedly due to being administered wrong medication.Media reports had, earlier on Monday, indicated that the 66-year-old Willis had died, but this assertion was based on a press release dispatched from the Office of Minister of Public Infrastructure (MPI), David Patterson.

Mrs. Dolly Willis and other relatives informed reporters on Monday afternoon that Willis was in a coma at the hospital. According to his wife, the father of three was taken to the hospital on Saturday for treatment for a stomach ailment. She said it was nothing of a serious nature when the family took the well-known engineer to the private medical institution.

This publication was, however, told that Willis was allegedly administered insulin, even though he is not diabetic. According to his wife, her husband’s condition started to deteriorate over the weekend, and the MPI was informed by the family that Willis had died after medical personnel told the family that they can say their final goodbyes.

Dolly said she asked the staff not to disconnect the life-support equipment from her husband, since relatives and friends would want to visit him in hospital.

Information on Willis’s state changed during Monday afternoon when another doctor visited the hospital and checked the man’s condition and a heartbeat was detected. However, late on Monday night he succumbed.

The hospital, in a statement, said it has embarked on an investigation to ensure that all clinical guidelines were adhered to in keeping with standard operating procedures.

“Mr. Willis will be remembered by all as a dedicated worker who went above and beyond to ensure the proper execution of all projects under his remit. He was always willing to offer advice, and worked meticulously. He was also fondly known to all as a stickler for protocol, and could be seen traversing even the hallways of the Ministry with a safety vest on.

“Ministers of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and Annette Ferguson, along with the staff of the Ministry, wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to the Willis family,” the MPI said in a statement.

Willis, a father of three, easily recognizable by his signature safety-vest and broad sun-hat, had been tasked with overlooking a number of Government projects, including the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project. He was serving as Technical Advisor to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson.
His most recent public activity occurred on Friday when Patterson led a team of officials and later briefed members of the media on the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project. During the tour, Willis provided important bits of information and analysis of the ongoing works at the airport. Willis noted that the magnitude and height of elevated works to the main runway at CJIA will be a first for any project in the history of the country. He also provided statistics on aspects of the project.

A 17-year veteran at the MPI, Willis had overseen a number of projects across the country, including construction of the Providence Stadium, where he served as Project Manager; the Caricom Secretariat; several road projects, including the East Bank and East Coast Demerara four-lane extension projects. He was also actively involved in the Amaila Falls Hydro-power project.

Prior to being involved in the public service, Willis spent several years as an engineer attached to the Kayman Sankar Group of Companies, where his tasks included overseeing the functioning and installation of equipment of that company’s rice factories on the Essequibo Coast.

Willis would have celebrated his 67th birthday later this month.