JAMAICA | PNP wants an Audit of Cornwall Regional Hospital Rehabilitation Project

Kingston, Jamaica. February 19, 2024:  PNP Shadow Minister for Health, Dr. Alfred Dawes, has once again raised grave concerns regarding the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) rehabilitation project and in light of this Dr. Dawes has called for an immediate audit of the project to ensure accountability and efficient use of taxpayer funds.

“The Cornwall Regional Hospital rehabilitation project has been plagued by escalating costs and indefinite variations in scope. From its inception, cost estimates have ballooned from a few hundred million dollars to a staggering $4 billion.

However, when then Shadow Minister of Health, Dr. Morais Guy, indicated that full rehabilitation may potentially cost as much as $12 billion, the current Health Minister rubbished those claims. Yet he has since put forward a current budget allocation of $21 billion for the CRH project.

With countless missed deadlines and limited information on the project's scope, cost overruns, and performance bonds, it is highly likely that even further delays and cost increases will be encountered,” Dawes said.

With the current budget allocation exceeding the entire annual budgets of several Ministries and is almost equivalent to the budget of the whole Ministry of Local Government; this mismanagement of funds could have far-reaching consequences for the provision of essential services across various sectors of the Jamaican society.

“The blame lies squarely with the entire cabinet, as critical decisions regarding the CRH renovation are being driven by political interests rather than expert advice and technocratic guidance.

It is imperative that the cabinet collectively takes responsibility for accounting for how taxpayer funds have been spent, and at this rate, we may need a whole Ministry of “Cornwall Regional Hospital” where the Minister of Finance can exercise greater control over budgetary allocations, in the best interest of the Jamaican taxpayer.” asserted Dr. Dawes.

The People's National Party remains committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of all Jamaicans. We steadfastly stand against corruption, inefficiency, and mismanagement of public funds, particularly in critical areas of healthcare.

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