PNP president vows quicker completion of Cornwall Regional Hospital restoration

Opposition Leader and People's National Party  (PNP) President Mark Golding has vowed to put a team in place to ensure the swift completion of the St James-based Cornwall Regional Hospital's ongoing renovation, once his party wins the next general election.

Addressing journalists on Sunday evening following a meeting to present the PNP's candidates for St James at the Montego Bay High School, Golding said his administration will also likely investigate whether the $14.5 billion that has been budgeted for the restoration can be properly accounted for.

"It is an absolute disgrace that that renovation of the only Type A hospital in western Jamaica has been going on now for years and years and years and the cost just keeps mounting and there is no end in sight. It is absolutely deplorable, and we would have to put a serious team in place to make sure it is finished as quickly as possible if it is not finished by the time we assume Government," said Golding.

The hospital has been undergoing restoration work since 2017 when noxious fumes from the ventilation system resulted in several departments being evacuated from the facility's first three floors.

The Government's current $14.5 billion price tag for the restoration, which is projected for completion by 2025, is roughly seven times the original $2 billion that was budgeted for the project in 2018.

Golding also called for an improved healthcare system with more bed spaces available for patients in need, as well as greater transparency and accountability in relation to the Government's actions.

- Christopher Thomas

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