MoBay’s stakeholders expect hospital restoration to continue, despite budget cut

WESTERN BUREAU:

WHILE A decision has been taken to cut the funding earmarked for the ongoing restoration works at the Cornwall Regional Hospital’s (CRH), top stakeholders say the adjustments, which were made in the Government’s 2020-21 Estimates of Expenditure, should not bring the project to a halt.

Montego Bay Mayor Homer Davis told The Gleaner on Wednesday that the Government’s allocation of J$1.7 billion for demolition and structural works at the CRH during this fiscal year, which is significantly less than the previously allotted J$4 billion, should not prevent the hospital’s full restoration.

“I haven’t seen the budget myself, but if that cut is a reality, I’m sure that that money will be replaced, and it still won’t stop what is to be done at the CRH. If you have J$4 billion to spend, you can’t spend it within a short period of time,” said Davis.

“There must be some consideration of how much can be spent between now and the expected time of completion. I am of the belief that the CRH will be up and running (soon) and in a better state than when it was closed,” said Davis, in expressing his confidence that the Type A facility, which was hit with a noxious-fumes issue in 2017, resulting in massive dislocation, will soon be fully restored.

Janet Silvera, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is suggesting that the CRH’s restoration work could be aided by creative collaborations between the private sector and the Ministry of Finance.

“CRH is critical to healthcare in the west, so we have to become creative. I’m suggesting an

‘adopt a floor’ project, which will depend heavily on buy-ins by private-sector companies or foundations, with each floor of the hospital being branded after a sponsor,” said Silvera.

“There could be names such as the National Commercial Bank’s Lee-Chin, Rainforest Seafoods’ Brian Jardim, and Reggae Sumfest’s Joe Bogdanovich, plus companies such as True Value, JMMB, and Cari-Med. The minister of finance would be urged to give full tax deductions to these donors, and there are also many Jamaicans who were born at the hospital or gave birth there, and would commit to supporting a telethon for its benefit,” added Silvera.

According to the Government’s fiscal policy paper for the 2020-21 financial year, the CRH will benefit from a J$3.9-billion allocation for the improvement of several health facilities across the country. This allocation will also benefit the Western Children and Adolescents Hospital, which is being built on the CRH’s grounds.