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.
