Submitted by Crusoe

Yesterday we heard the Minister of Health, Donville Inniss, indicate that the site chosen for the new $800MM hospital is in Kingsland. Firstly, I state that I am pleased that Donville Inniss has taken an open approach to the blogs, by choosing to comment. I also think that Donville has a good political future. However, there are issues related to the new hospital and its location, that I wish to highlight, as relevant to all projects.

Firstly, on the point of location, we are told that relevant stakeholders have discussed this, or at least the news report refers to the Town Planning etc. My question is, how can relevant stakeholders be seen to be consulted, when the citizens of the country have not had an input? This is not a canteen at a school, where the head and Board or Ministry can decide. This is an $800 million facility, the only major one, for the country. I am not saying that a referendum is necessary, but certainly town hall meetings and a public panel (we so love commissions and panels) is actually relevant here. Can we see a preliminary report, that demonstrates why the site is suitable as agreed by Government, Town Planning, doctors, the QEH administration?

How does one assess the issues caused by the new hospital being located at Kingsland, when all major medical assessments (private) are located in Belleville? Surely a more central location on the Highway route and closer to Bridgetown, such as Upper Wildey or  Haggatt Hall, or Waterford  etc would have been more suitable? That would have kept it closer to Belleville, the bus routes both Highway and Bridgetown and still had some open spaces for development?

Further, who is the land to be purchased from? Is it Sagicor?

In the interests of good planning and decision making, these are issues that need to be explained as having been assessed properly. I am not comfortable with a simple announcement.

Secondly, what are the specifications of the new hospital? Surely the specifications need to be addressed and agreed, before a decision on a fitting location is established? Have the specifications been agreed with doctors and an expert hospital planning consultant? Yes, we have good architects and engineers, but there are surely those who specialise in hospitals and healthcare, remember the phrase, measure twice, cut once?

Then, the issue of financing, how is this going to go forward and what project disclosures will be necessary. How will the Auditor General be involved in checking on expenditures to budget and authenticity?

Can Government commit to making this the FIRST fully transparent and properly implemented public project in Barbados? And please, no hand raising and pleads that other projects have been managed well, the past fifteen years have proved atrocious in public project management.

So, respectfully submitted in the interest of the country.

Regards