Bad move

Dr Jerome Walcott. (FP)

By Carol Martindale | Sun, July 15, 2012 - 12:10 AM

Two former Ministers of Health yesterday reacted with surprise to the announcement that Barbados’ new general hospital would be located in Kingsland, Christ Church, with one dismissing it as an election gimmick.

“It is coming close to election time,” said Dr Jerome Walcott, the Opposition’s shadow minister of health, while pointing out that as far back as 2007 he had spoken of plans for a modern facility to replace the 47-year-old Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

“Nothing has happened since then and then on the eve of an election you get this announcement,” he said in response to Friday’s disclosure by Minister of Health Donville Inniss that the Martindale’s Road, St Michael institution was to be closed to make way for a new facility in Christ Church.

The revelation also came as a shock to Sir Branford Taitt, who served as Minister of Health from 1987 to 1993. He said the proposed site was “not the best place” for the island’s main hospital.

Please read the full story in today’s SUNDAY SUN, or in the eNATION edition.

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Posted by mac _ ham 10 months, 1 week ago: Regardless of which party was in power at this time it would have been a political gimmick from the other, one party for the other against it.

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Posted by Mary Yearwood 10 months, 1 week ago: It will end up costing the public more in time, money and effort, since it is easier to get to St. Michael than Christ Church for the majority of the population. Put the people first in this decision-making.