The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis clashed with opposition members in the House of Assembly yesterday about whether the children’s ward of Princess Margaret Hospital was repaired after Hurricane Matthew damaged the facility in 2016.

Dr Minnis, during his budget contribution, said the ward was severely damaged and had to be closed. “Instead of addressing the damage to the children’s ward,” he said, “the PLP went on to spend millions of dollars on Carnival in Nassau and Freeport. They allocated $12m to Carnival, however, went on to spend $25,360,044. Apparently the PLP placed a greater priority on partying than they did on sick children.”

Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin described the prime minister’s statement as “categorically false.”

She said information given to her showed a $385,687 contract was awarded to repair the ward’s roof and work began in October 2016 and was completed in May 2017.

“I am advised that it is this administration which stopped the continuous work on the children’s ward,” she said. “The man who leads this nation told the country that the prior administration did not address the repair of the children’s ward but instead spent $25 million on partying. It is not true. Repair works commenced immediately, were completed in May 2017 when this administration took over and nothing has been done.”

Dr Minnis later said the Christie administration did not “put the ward in a state of functionality.”

He read from a communication former Prime Minister Perry Christie delivered in October 2016 in which the former Centerville MP said the PHA indicated it would cost about $740,000 to repair roof damage to PMH. “Despite the requirement,” Dr Minnis said, “no capital funding has been provided by this item.”

Health Minister Duane Sands denied the Englerston MP’s statements and demanded she provide evidence or withdraw her statement. “The repairs under the PLP were far from adequate,” he told The Tribune when contacted. “They had a gutted ward (and) did some work on the roof and the windows. But the ward was left uninhabitable as were multiple other wards.”

A PHA letter signed by managing director Catherine Weech suggests the FNM administration did not halt works in May 2017. Ms Weech said in 2016 a contract was awarded to Guarantee Construction Company for the roof and window replacements at a cost of $379,487. “The project commenced October 2016 and was completed on budget in July 2017,” she wrote in a letter dated June 19, 2019. “Plans are in progress for renovations to the interior sections [of the] Children’s Ward South. Work is expected to commence during this upcoming budget year.”