The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party is insisting it bears no responsibility for the current condition of the Children’s Ward at Princess Margaret Hospital, as it began repairs but was voted out of office.

According to shadow health minister, Senator Michael Darville yesterday, the situation has everything to do with the government failure to do its job.

He said the former Christie administration saw to it that a contract worth $379,478 was awarded to Guarantee Construction Company for exterior work.

This included roof and window replacements, which were completed in July 2017.

Mr Darville, who served as minister of Grand Bahama in the former Christie administration, maintained that the exterior had to be completed first before any work could be done inside.

As the Progressive Liberal Party was voted out in a crushing defeat in May 2017, Mr Darville said the Children’s Ward is and remains the responsibility of Health Minister Dr Duane Sands and the Free National Movement.

Perry Gomez was minister of health during the previous Christie administration.

“I wish to refute absolutely the allegations made in the House of Assembly on June 19, 2019 in reference to the Children’s Ward construction,” the opposition senator said in a press statement yesterday.

“The PLP bears no responsibility for what obtains in the Children’s Ward today. In the press today, there is a letter dated June 19, 2019 which the government produced that proves the prime minister misled Parliament in reference to this issue.

“The truth of the matter is the contract for the Children’s Ward was awarded on October, 2016 to Guarantee Construction Company for exterior work which included the roof and window replacements at a cost of $379,478 and the exterior work was completed in July 2017.

“It’s important to point out that the exterior of the building had to be done first before the interior work could begin. The PLP lost office in May 2017.”

He continued: “The completion of the Children’s Ward was therefore and remains the responsibility of the current minister of health and the Free National Movement.

“The letter from the present managing director of the Public Hospital Authority (PHA) that was published in today’s Tribune and produced by the government, clearly shows that two years after July 2017, this FNM government has done nothing.

“The record should reflect the truth. The repairs of the Children’s Ward had absolutely nothing to do with Carnival. This debacle, however, has everything to do with neglect by the Free National Movement and the minister of health and the PHA’s failure to do its job today,” he said.

The issue was ignited on Wednesday after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the former government placed a greater priority on Bahamas Carnival, ultimately spending $25,360,044 instead of fixing the Children’s Ward.

However, 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 roof and work began in October 2016 and was completed in May 2017.

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 Centreville 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.”

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.