JAMAICA | GOVERNMENT DODGES SCRUTINY OVER $27M HOSPITAL DRILL PURCHASE

KINGSTON, Jamaica May 19, 2025 - By wiredja parliamentary reporter - Opposition Senator Lambert Brown unleashed a blistering critique after the President of the Senate inexplicably blocked the tabling of eleven detailed questions regarding the South East Regional Health Authority's (SERHA) controversial acquisition for the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

In a maneuver critics call "ducking accountability," THE JLP Senate leadership on Friday stonewalled attempts to investigate a $27 million neurosurgical drill purchase for Jamaica's premier children's hospital, raising serious questions about procurement transparency and potential financial impropriety.

"This is not merely procedural stonewalling—it's a deliberate evasion of public scrutiny," Brown told reporters in Kingston on Monday. "When government officials refuse to answer basic questions about how $27 million of taxpayer money is spent on a single piece of medical equipment, alarm bells should ring throughout Jamaica."

The questions, meticulously prepared for Minister Kamina Johnson-Smith, the Leader of Government Business in the Senate, sought critical details about the drill's specifications, procurement process, and value comparison—only to be sidelined without explanation during Friday's session.

Brown's inquiry delves into the equipment's provenance, asking pointed questions about the drill's brand, manufacturing date, and warranty provisions. More troublingly, it seeks to illuminate whether proper competitive bidding occurred, which companies participated, and whether SERHA conducted appropriate market research before the purchase.

"There's nothing routine about a $27 million drill bought for a children's hospital without clear public knowledge or accountability," Brown emphasized, his voice rising with indignation. "Jamaicans deserve to know who got the contract, under what terms, and whether this represents prudent stewardship of our limited healthcare budget."

The Senate's refusal to entertain these questions transforms what might have been routine oversight into something far more suspicious. Each passing day without answers only deepens public skepticism about whether proper procedures were followed in acquiring the specialized equipment.

Brown insists his pursuit transcends partisan politics, framing it instead as a fundamental matter of good governance. "When transparency is sacrificed on the altar of procedural technicalities, democracy itself suffers," he noted.

For a nation still grappling with healthcare accessibility challenges, the optics couldn't be worse. Every dollar potentially misspent represents resources diverted from critical needs in Jamaica's strained healthcare system.

The Opposition Senator vowed to continue pressing for answers until the government provides full disclosure about the purchase, suggesting the administration's reluctance only fuels speculation about potential irregularities in the procurement process.

As the controversy simmers, Jamaicans await answers to a simple question: Why is explaining the expenditure of $27 million on a pediatric medical device so difficult for those entrusted with public funds?

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